What have you done in the garden today?

[ThreeRingCircus]

I thought it would be a nice idea to share what we've been up to in our gardens.

Today I planted potatoes in buckets (with drainage holes drilled into them.) Six buckets in total, three second earlies and three main crops. I have fond memories of digging up potatoes with my dad when I was a child.... I still get excited rummaging around in the buckets when my potatoes are ready!

I also made up a herb planter from an old plant pot that had been hiding behind the shed. Mint, parsley and thyme planted in that so I'll see how that does.

I fed my pot plants with blood, fish and bone and gave them a water.

What have you been up to?

If you can find a bulb basket that fits inside the big pot you can just change the top layer rather than replacing all the compost.

Repotted some lilies that were in a very rusty pot which had also acquired a beech tree sapling. The pot fell apart when I moved it so I’m not holding out much hope for the lilies. They’ve been there for years and always put on a good show but they got a bit battered. I’ve potted the sapling too until I decide what to do with it.

I need to decide what to do with my pots of tulips too. Do I take the leaves off and plant annuals or should I take the bulbs out and plant elsewhere or lead them to dry out!

Potted up my tomatoes and cucumber in the greenhouse. Shall need to get my drip irrigation set up shortly as we're off on holiday soon!

I fixed my herb garden. Took all day.

Dodged the rain and potted up 24 lemon monarda seedlings.

Tied up a few more tomatoes in the poly.

Took the spiky wood I'd put in the fire pit left by the old owners, and filled with soil and planted a range of herbs, the last 2 tomatillos and a peach or plum I've grown from seed.

@Zebracat that looks really pretty now, can see the work you've put into it!

Looking forward to a weekend of sun, gardening, and plant purchasing. Need to get some more Nora Barlow, Geranium Laura and apricot Jacobs Ladder, but probably will have to order online. Can't wait to see what I find at the plant sale at White Cliffs rubs hands in anticipation

Made up a few more pots for my front steps. I’m using alpines in sylvaC. Looks quite pretty. Also started on the new worst bit of my garden, a paved pergola and gravelled area, home to our table, pigeons, weeds and more neglected pots. No wonder we never eat outside. I’ve swept, scraped up guano, and begun the weeding. Hoping inspiration will strike on the pot front. They seem to contain a couple of very beautiful tulips and a lot of dandelions, but surely must also have some hidden gems.

@Zebracat looks good! My herbs didn't fare so well through the winter this year and are looking rather sorry for themselves... giving them a bit more time to check which are definitely dead before sorting them out. The bay tree is a goner for sure.

Today I planted out sweetcorn into the raised bed, and sowed some mangetout, spring onions, French beans and herbs. I also planted out my thalcitrum i bought last weekend and shifted a couple of plants which were being swamped by their neighbour's. Plus a bit of hedge trimming, and filling up of the bird feeders.

Planted a raspberry a loganberry and a gooseberry . 4 tiny plants that are small climbing squash. We have a raised manhole cover in a re seeded lawn , so Iv put two pieces of lawn edge around it to make a little bed . Filled with compost and seeded with some random old seed packets . Iv moved an old bird bath on top and surrounded with cobbles. I had a grab bag of compost delivered on Friday, I’m about a 1/3 down already ! Now sat with a coffee wondering if my nails will ever be clean again !!

Went to a local plant sale & bought lots of plants! Strawberries, 2x foxgloves, a salvia, a rose, a winter jasmine, a white Pulmonaria, an iris, an erysium, a hollyhock & a white valerian.
Potted up two blueberries; planted two Pulmonaria (pink/blue), planted a fern. Chucked some thornless blackberries that just haven't done anything for a few years & put my new strawberries into a strawberry pot tower.

I dug up a really sickly looking fatshedera green fingers in my shadiest spot. It's had two years and has looked consistently awful.

Thriftily I filled the space with a big fern that was in a pot that had cracked over winter. Very satisfying! :)

potted on 20 chilli plants - can’t bear to chuck them - will give some away; sowed greens, basil, okra, sunflowers, marigolds and potted baby spider plants.
Lots more to do. Have loads of summer bulbs that I don’t know where I’m planting yet!

@Maggiethecat same! Lots of summer bulbs & no idea where to put them!

I had planned to go to DM’s and pull up the campanula and Spanish bluebells that have spread like mad and rooted in her gravel and down the side of her house. When I got there she’d done it all! She’s 85 and none too steady on her feet so I was dead impressed with her. I was amazed.

As a reward I took her to B&Q and then to a cafe for tea. She came away with a boot full of plants so that will keep her happy planning what to do with them. I may have bought a few too.

I dug out a big clump of Japanese anemone which was in the wrong place, transplanted some and potted up the rest to give away. I planted Alchemilla mollis, which never obliges me by self-seeding and so (shock horror) I have to buy it, and potted up various mystery self-seeded things, for identification purposes.

Building work finished so lugged a tonne of pots back to their original positions. I find I have to get them in position and then reflect for a few days on whether they look right and then do a bit more shuffling around.

My pergola is a 2 day job. Such a mess, even after hours of work.I thought a pot was full of blind daffodils, decided to put them in the ground and it was only after I murmured them that I remembered they were freesia. So cross with myself. They may perk up. I have 3 medium pots there in partial shade. I don’t know whether to plant them up for that position or repurpose for tomatoes or peppers in my veg patch.

DH very kindly came home today with an unexpected present....a hydrangea from the garden centre that I'd been eyeing up a couple of weeks ago. He's a good'un. The hydrangea is now in the border.

Ooh, which hydrangea? I’ve probably said before that I’m a convert to hydrangeas because they fare well in my shady garden.

Thinking of just bunging in pots although I like dahlias to be in the ground.

I overbought spring bulbs and these are just a few of the pots I stuck them in.

@Zebracat I like all the herb pots too!
I think just freshen them up so you see the nice matching colours of the pots and put grit over the top so they look professional and pots look neat and finished .

Im quite fancying some pink begonias . What’s happening?

Lovely tulips! I always buy too many because I’m too weak-willed to ignore the blandishments of mail order companies offering discounts.

It's strong Annabelle 😁

Ah, I heard about Strong Annabelle recently. I think I have Weakling Annabelle!