Saturday, 6 April 2019

Friday - Garden visit

Kale flowering 

Close-up of four-petal flowers
I was lucky to get a private tour of Brendan Farrell's garden yesterday evening. Brendan runs Ardagh Eco Gardens and everytime I visit is a completely different experience. There's always lots in bloom, new areas developing and Brendan is very willing to share his passion for plants and nature in general. I came home inspired and with three Spindle and five new Hazel trees that I look forward to finding room for in my garden.  http://www.ardaghvillagelandscapes.com
Hellebores


Devil's Pencil


Scimiea

Primula that self-seeded in the gravel path 

Dotty Lotty

Bark peeling



Willow catkins 

Gunnera


Pasque Flower (Pastillia?)

New wildlife pond coming soon






Daphne


Sunset over Brí Leith and Slieve Bán

Friday - A new raised bed

I got a new spray top for the hose and unravelled it for first time in awhile. Delighted to see it reaches all tge fruit and veg beds and the polytunnel as well as the shade bed out the front. 


Unexpected sunshine this morning.

Horsetail appearing in in the grass.

Before

Step one, mark out the area.




Old crisp pack dug up, best before 2005.

Step two, rake off lose grass, roots etc.


Step three, clear anything near the surface.

Step four cover with cardboard and newspapers.


I had to leave it like that, the compost and stones were to hold it down overnight.

Thursday, 4 April 2019

Rasberries planted, soil moved

Another cool, showery day.

Lots more soil moved today while the Raspberry bush roots were soaking. 

Raspberry bushes planted.

More beds almost full.

Lamb's Lettuce up today.

A collection of bugs when I turned the wheelbarrow over this morning. 

Wednesday, 3 April 2019

Raspberry bed


It was another very changeable day with sun and heavy showers. It was cold and windy too, but I was determined to finish the Raspberry bed today. The last bit of ground was quite hard and stony, so I boxed it off with old tiles and filled it with mulch. I will use it for a pot beside the patio. I've put two of Sunday's purchases in there for now, still in their own pots. The bed was hard work as it was full of scutch grass and the clay soil was wet a lot of the time. I hope all the roots are now out. I've added some good soil and will check it and plant the Raspberry bushes tomorrow. There is some shadow from the polytunnel falling on the bed at this time of year, but I think it will be in sun long enough each day.