This and that

One of the things I like most about being in a big garden is the variety. This week we moved around a lot and it makes you realise how many different aspects there are to the garden and just how many jobs are required. It really is never ending but as you repeat tasks for a while, so too do they die out and a new task is at the fore front. The cycle of the seasons means there is always something new around the corner.

We planted out a Pawlonia tomentosa near the river (quite large and glad I didn't have to do it alone!) which has large fuzzy leaves and a Clerodendrum which had become pot bound. Again going over the process of planting well, cutting turf to allow a large enough planting hole, cultivating the soil really well, removing stones and allowing in air. Planting and compacting some of that air out again and watering well and maybe staking. Great to remember to take your time and plant well. It only happens once for the plant, make it worthwhile.

We had some edging and weeding to do in the sundial area, around the hedging. Dry soil with cracks in, rock solid. We were overlooked by a huge Mulberry Tree which has fruit coming.

The Cockerels tend to pootle along and find us when we are weeding, pecking the turned soil searching for grubs. Clever old things.

We had Sweet peas to tend to, Pigs to feed, Weeds to sort in the Japanese garden and Leeks to transplant in the veg garden! I have never grown Leeks, so this was great to learn. You make a hole 6 inches deep, plop your small Leek in and fill the hole with water. That is all. It looks weird but the Leek finds it's way and works it's roots into the soil. We used a garden line and planted each Leek 6 inches apart in rows. Once we lifted the baby Leeks up, we trimmed them bottom and top and kept them in water as we worked. Lovely job.

Visitors were very interested in what I was doing. They also tend to love the ornamental Gourds growing above the pathways over an arch and the huge Allium seed heads in the flower patch.

The Japanese garden had Orange Balsam coming up in it's borders, a weed but very pretty really. 

The skunk cabbage that was just emerging when I started at Heale is going over now, huge great foliage and seed pods.

The espaliered fruit in the veg garden is ripening with all this sun, Apricots, Plums, Peaches, really great. The Zinnias are still vibrant.

What we really need is rain of course, the time of year when everything (and every Gardener) is wilting and showing signs of being tired. The light is glaring right now and a break is much needed. Even the Sheep need the rain to grow them more grass!