2023 Week 11

13th - 19th March 2023

Squash plants reaching for the sun

The plan to build a bed for a cherry tree to grow against the criss cross wall has been in my head for a while but now, with the cherry tree on order, the action of building it has risen to the top of the list. I get great satisfaction out of using up old and spare materials which represent zero cost so what better to use than the odd bits of porcelain paving slabs left over from the eye wateringly expensive patio.

Alex set to work constructing the shuttering and came up with the genius idea of supporting the 20mm thick slabs in place whilst the concrete foundation goes off.

Concrete is in and the cherry tree arrives.

Shuttering off and bed filled ready to receive the new tree. There is plenty of space left over for other plants so now I need to decide what. Maybe some of the asparagus plants that are due to arrive next week.

One of the nicest shrubs left over from the previous occupants is the winter flowering Camellia that resides at the bottom of the garden and is still going strong.

I love this time of year in the garden, things are nice and stable in terms of staying timed when cut but, at the same time, everything is springing into new life. A fresh start for the warmer seasons ahead.

The rich seam of material from the 25 year old compost heap is still giving.

And more beds in zone 1 are getting filled ready for planting up next month.

It was definitely a mistake to start the squash plant seedlings so early indoors as they still have months to go before I can safely plant them out. Ive risked a couple with their own plastic hats to see if they survive. Next year should be fine as long as the greenhouse is up and running by then.

The rain stopped for a day on Sunday so I took the chance to restart the brickwork at the southern end of the walled garden. It is backbreaking work stooping over all day and progress is really really slow…

The tomato seedlings get buried up to their necks and get given a new home on the sunniest window cill available. Grow out not up guys!

When its raining and I’ve run out of jobs in the potting shed, I spend some time at the drawing board designing the greenhouse. At this stage the thought of constructing it feels pretty daunting!