"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." This month's discussion in the potting shed.

[MyNightWithMaud]

Grateful thanks to the magnificent Margaret Atwood (via A Mighty Girl) for the quote.

I have just come indoors after a delightful couple of hours' pottering in the garden. It's far warmer than yesterday and everything feels optimistic and vernal again, after yesterday's Arctic blast.

High point: Realising that most of last year's cuttings have taken. Given that I am useless with seeds this, I think, is my propagating future.

Low point: Realising that my newest fairy lights have already failed.

Is possum poo any good as a fertiliser for the beds?

Maud what else went into your pot pond besides waterlilies?

My tin bath just had a couple of water lilies. They are pretty hefty plants and there wasn't room for the marsh marigold I was also given, so I passed that on to another friend.

oooh I have a greenhouse again! It is firmly anchored to the ground by a special kit. Thanks DH. Sadly we are all down with some virus so won't get out to sort it out tomorrow, but soon..!

Hooray for the greenhouse, Humph!

thanks Maud. Am very pleased. It is not too late for lots of seeds. Looking forward to all the building work being finished so I can shut some gates and contain ToddlerCObbler. Also have doors on the potting shed.

Wish i could make it to HC but I fear not this year. Also enjoying the violets here.

I love the sound of the tin bath pond too.

I fear for the tin bath pond, as it can't really give the water lilies the depth of water they need, but I live in hope.

What's the building work?

yes to Violets
yes to Hepburn, waterlilies in pots, possum poo in ponds, repotted bamboo and rebuilt greenhouses

In a fever of excitement I went looking for containers for a pond, having located a space for it. Have finally settled for a thick plastic half-barrel ( not the lovely glazed Chinese pot I had imagined, just deep enough for lilies. If it doesn't work it will make splendid citrus container, as they like a wide root run, and someone gave me a dwarf Valencia orange tree last month, that I would rather not have - more watering - but there you go.

Happy 1st of April everyone Pinch punch and all that I'm going to be rushing about because ds and our gd are coming for Easter! Bon Paques too!

Pond pots are sounding lovely. Do post photos.

Maud, domestic glyphosate works successfully on japanese knotweed. I've eradicated it from a couple of gardens. It just takes several applications.

I'm in bed with flu so not getting any gardening done. The dcs' sweet peas are coming up nicely though, on the kitchen windowsill, as is the bean that dd brought home from school.

building work on the cider shed, there is scaffolding stopping any gates from shutting, I can't pen the boy in! all he wants to do is climb up a ladder. can't turn my back for a second

get well soon Rhubarb. i am ill at home with all three of mine but it isn't the dreaded flu, just some random bug.

Oh I missed it was the 1st, dd1 just told me she called Dh in to dispose of a large scary bee on the piano, a large letter B

Get well soon rhubarb and humph

Have a lovely Easter everyone.

We are off to Scotland tomorrow, my seedlings entrusted to a friend who has a vested interest as some will be for her!

Have a good one Geoff Do you make cider in your shed Humphrey ? Or are you converting it into something else?

no cider in the shed sadly! Although we do sometimes send the pears to make perry. It was once used for cider, we haven't just made the name up. It needs a new roof and the upstairs is going to be sorted as a room for DH to use as an office.

Thanks geoff. Enjoy your hols.

Humph your place always sounds utterly idyllic.

I'm no better today. I have had to cancel three garden visits this week.

Rhubarb, flu is grim. Do hope you feel better soon.

Oh no, Rhubarb. Get well soon.

I hope you get well soon rhubarb and humphrey so that you can have a happy chocolatey Easter and get to see some gardens!
I didnt watch GW because I watched The Debate instead. I want to shape shift to be a Welsh or Scottish female party leader. Either would do.
Instead I will mow and edge the lawn and ponder which blokey guy to vote for.

to Rhubarb and Humph , sorry you're not well. I'm off to OOH GP later as have a UTI that isn't shifting. Typical on a Bank Holiday.

Possum poo in the pond is making me would love to see pictures of these ponds. Have a lovely holiday Geoff.

Well not good Easter Gardening weather here which is a shame as lots to do. Gardener came yesterday (I know, I know) and dismantled grotty trellis amd put up vine hooks and wire instead, fixed raised bed properly by neighbour's new fence, planted my bargin £2 hellebores and generally tidied up.

We had a discussion about the lovely Weigela which was trained into a tree and looks stunning in flower. It has got so big now and is leaning forward so much that it takes up too much room fior the space so sadly I have decided that after it flowers he will cut it right back to where it is sprouting new growth at the base. Behind it are neighbours vast conifers. After the fence fiasco last year I don't trust him not to cut them down in the future so am going to let some of the self seeded laurel behind the Weigela grow as an insurance plan.

About to have my Saturday morning appointment with Monty. Couldn't bring myself to watch the debate as was living in the toilet last night and felt quite rough and couldn't cope with having to face the reality of our voting options,

Hope Rhubarb and Humphrey and Sugarplumtree are feeling better today. I planted my 100 snowdrop bulbs yesterday, I threw them around to create a natural 'drift' and then struggled to see the blighters as they sort of merged into the ground....

I think they are now all planted and I have grass seed to spread this weekend.

Happy Easter gardening everyone

They repeat GW twice over the weekend funny I forgot it as well, agree about the SNP leader she was incredible (like an un nervous REAL person) !!! .

Snowdrops sound gorgeous mrsmalarkey Here they have a thing about liles of the valley; they call them muguet and you're allowed to sell them cheaply or give them away in markets without a licence. But only on May the 1st

. Get well soon people, try taking plenty of echinacea and sniff up ess. oil of lavender and or basil or eucalyptus .

I love lily of the valley. There was loads in the garden where I grew up. You don't see it much nowadays - or not round here, anyway. I wonder if the soil is wrong or it's a fashion thing.

I feel much better today thanks. Rather weak and feeble still, so no compost turning, but at least I am able to slowly start reassembling the house, which looks like a tornado has gone through it, and tackling the washing mountain. Amazing what three days out of action can do to a home

I seem to have forgot that today is friday and so Monty will be on this evening and wasnt even on yesterday because yesterday was Thursday!!!!!!!

Oh yes me also funny It's because of Easter (that's my excuse for being a DUH!!!).