What have you done in the garden today? Part 7

[Jimmyneutronsforehead]

Continuation thread from MereDint's previous threads.

@Jimmyneutronsforehead exactly! More back pain! But at least this time I will be in a better mood! And hopefully the rain will keep off just long enough for me to get it done!

Just think how beautiful it's all going to look come spring time, all that back pain will be worth it.

My neighbour got one of these to remove some chonky ivy. I think key is to just take it slow and step back to take a good look now and then. He butchered it and it looked very very bald for ages.

My council is handing out free trees (bare root whips, 40-60 cm) this week. It was supposed to be 1 tree per resident but they didn't have many takers, so told me to take as many as I'd like, and come back for the rest of Friday. I now have 8 but am tempted to plant several hedges. My garden isn't big enough for that!

I'll need to bring labels when I collect more because I can't remember what 5 of today's choices are, whoops.

Tulip foliage is poking through, crocuses looked stellar in Monday's sun but a bit rained on and slug nibbled today.

@Jackdog39 also - those mini chainsaws don't seem capable of neat, clean cuts? Might be because my neighbour was forcing it. Definitely have a practice before you start cutting close to the trunk, and be prepared to tidy it with a handsaw.

Same thing happened to DP when he asked me to do a fade because he refused to go to the barbershop even though I've no hair dressing training and dyspraxia.

Very bald indeed.

I’m also dyspraxic and have doled out some very dodgy haircuts to family members in my time. I did warn them though! Despite that I have successfully raised the canopy on many laurels, but not with a chainsaw. But I used my neighbours chainsaw on my forsythia, and pyracantha and it was fine. Wear good shoes, put down a tarp and watch where you step. Gardens are lumpy!
Lovely to see pics of your garden @Jimmyneutronsforehead . Looks very similar to mine atm. I never know what will survive.

That's the guttering finished.

So I'll sweep up the wee bits of debris tomorrow and move the pots back.

Planning to put a new flowerbed in this year but realise it will get trampled on when I eventually get a new roof. :-( Spose I could just cut everything right back and let it regrow.

What about just having it as a cheap annuals bed for now to condition the soil?

Stuff always grows best in year 2 earth so the first plants, in my opinion, are there to do one job and one job only and that's to make sure the next year's plants get off to the best start.

I had the rage today (I am Canadian) so I went out and dug, furiously, in what used to be my front lawn. I'm digging the whole thing up because it is framed with upright Cotswold stones and it is a pain to get the mower in. Have got quite far, maybe 6 sq m to go.

I keep on changing my mind about what I'll replace the lawn with. I have a few weeks to decide :)

@Jimmyneutronsforehead thanks! I didn't know that!!

Well now you've convinced me I want to dig my front lawn up and replace it with creeping thyme.

I really wanted a star creeper lawn but even my garden centre that sells everything strange and hard to find doesn't sell it.

My mum tried a chamomile lawn, it didn't go well.

Well now you've convinced me I want to dig my front lawn up and replace it with creeping thyme.

Do it! I have japanese seagrass that might not have made it through the winter because I left it in little pots. Or a selection of wildflowers. Or both, or something else. Can't decide.

Just looked it up, love it!

https://www.shireplants.co.uk/pratia-pedunculata-country-park

I've probably done myself no favours but I've bought a Daphne Perfumed Princess to replace the lost Daphne Walberton that I bought year before last.

It was £12.50, the Walberton was £30 so if this one doesn't make it, I haven't lost a great deal. It looks very healthy, has a lovely pink flower and another coming up, unfortunately, I've run out of large pots so will have to force myself to go to the garden centre and buy yet another pot. Obviously, that is going to be a real nuisance having to do that. 😆

Fingers crossed that I can keep this one going a lot longer than the last one.

I had the same problem - so I sowed a few packets of wildflower seed - it was beauriful for a season - then the builders moved in and trashed everything.

I've done nothing. But I did peep out of the window and see that my daffs are starting to bud. A little pop of yellow amid all the grey gloom. Lovely.

We've got a very short and narrow longish plant pot that my Nan saved from her mother's garden before she passed away and in it are some snow drops and some other plant I can't really identify, but it always seem to thrive despite only being rained on and never manually watered.

The snow drops are out and more plentiful than ever though so it's lovely to see.

Not been out yet to sort the brambles, and I'm not planning on it any time soon while ever there's a wintry mix of weather.

A few brave daffodils out in the snow,crocuses almost out,tulips a good way behind. The marsh marigold just starting to sprout by the pond.Otherwise a muddy mess but I refuse to " tidy" it, hoping it will help the wildlife and over wintering beasties.
Sowed sweet peas in the greenhouse today.

It was sunny here a day earlier than expected so swept up debris from the gutters being replaced and put all pots back.

Also cut back the mint.

Lovely sunshine this morning and quite mild, birds singing their heads off. Decided after lunch to potter down to the greenhouse to take stock and then tidy up some pots.
Went upstairs to change and when I got back downstairs it was chucking it down! 😭

My daffodils are more or less over now so garden looking even more raggedy 😕

I'm jealous that it was sunny and also jealous that your mint can get to a state of needing cutting back.

My exes mum used to have mint growing absolutely everywhere, but I can't get it to stay healthy. I think it must be mites in our harden, the leaves go very lacey and raggedy and it just keels over in winter. I'm jealous of people that have too much mint as a problem.

We have some snowdrops bravely showing their faces which is lovely .
Tomorrow I think we have some dry weather and all the way up to a giddy 6c !

So cutting things back that shouldn't be there and pulling out weeds .

@Jimmyneutronsforehead it's just a pot of mint that I bought last year. I wonder if it will actually grow back!

Dodged the hail showers to pick cavolo nero for dinner. It's going in a sausage and carlin pea casserole. Lovely winter warmer type food.

I'm feeling full of cold, so I'm looking forward to this.