Travelling On

themadvix

All your talk of bark chippings is making me think this might be a good investment for one of our beds. Would bulbs manage to push their way through do you think?

Hope you have a good day today if you head out!

maddiemay

greenbee wrote: »

Is that what they're for? I thought it was a substitute for the gym...

That too.:rotfl:

Karmacat

maddiemay wrote: »

You are making fantastic progress in so many areas, I am so pleased for you. Hopefully you will soon be able to enjoy being in your garden rather than just slogging away at it.

Thanks maddie you're right, the day I go out to sit there, and not do any work at all, that day will be a precious day!

greenbee wrote: »

Is that what they're for? I thought it was a substitute for the gym...

They multitask

teapot2 wrote: »

Good news on getting there patio wise. Its very satisfying clearing bits of ground - if only it stayed clear, sigh

Thanks teapot it would be hard for this bit of patio to get as messy as I let it. First of all there was the turf from the extra borders I created (without having a plan on what to do with the new borders, or planting up the existing borders). Then there was a table: a £10 table from a junk shop, it's true, but still, it was a table, and the legs were solid wood. Then there was stuff on top of the table. Meanwhile, the turf rotted down (thats what I've been removing into the garden) and lots and *lots* of roots were growing over the top of the huge paving stones. Plus branches from the neighbour's privet and ivy, and my own rhodendron and hazel were growing over the top of the table, and underneath it. It was an incredible, horrendous mess, and thats why its taken *so* long to clear it.

Now, just a couple of square feet of soil, an average of maybe three inches deep, with the main roots already taken out.

Karmacat

themadvix wrote: »

All your talk of bark chippings is making me think this might be a good investment for one of our beds. Would bulbs manage to push their way through do you think?

Definitely, for sure. I have slate chips around my compost bin, quite big ones: the bluebells make it through every year, and this year the new raspberry canes have come through. It's remarkable, how strong a little plant is. There's a phrase from a Dylan Thomas poem, "the force that through the green fuse drives the flower". That's what happens every year.

Hope you have a good day today if you head out!

I did head out, thanks! And it was amazing: I've never, ever seen anywhere anything like Ham House. The Sunderland picture frames, for instance, are mentioned in this National Portrait Gallery page https://www.npg.org.uk/research/programmes/the-art-of-the-picture-frame/other-studies-charles-ii I just loved them, I thought they were gorgeous. And I always like it when I can have a proper look at the kitchens plus a happy gardener who likes her work is worth a million dollars.

teapot2

Glad you had a good trip out and found it so interesting and inspiring. Can't beat a nosey round a big old kitchen and a lovely garden :cool:.

themadvix

Thanks for the info about the bark. We have slate in the front garden but DH didn't like it, but I'll ask about bark.

Glad you had a good day at Ham House. It's a really fascinating place, isn't it? All that effort put in for no royal visit in the end!

teapot2

themadvix wrote: »

Glad you had a good day at Ham House. It's a really fascinating place, isn't it? All that effort put in for no royal visit in the end!

Some mistake surely? No royal visit? KC was there just yesterday

Karmacat

Hiya yes, so much history there! And all very quiet. I loved the grapes growing at the base of the parterre (?), the walk at the back of the house.

I'd much rather be doing trips like that all the time - but there's arrangements and negotiations for that kind of thing, which everyone does all the time, but I get quite stressed about, to be honest there's no reason, of course, but its true. Sigh ... to give me a better view of what's going on over the next 3 months, I thought I'd write out what's on my diary, on actual pieces of paper that might help to feel as though things are under control.

Anyway, today:
- washing machine is on.
- SB nearly done.
- send a birthday card pronto, from my brand new list
- email my Kent friend.
- start final sort out for the Dorset/Greenway prep, I'd thought of popping in on a friend who lives on the way, and he phoned yesterday while I was at Ham House
- this evening, need to phone someone in the next town who belongs to my Horticultural Society - they've offered a lift to anyone who needs one to a local thing, and I do need one, so ....
- realised where I can plant some of the mint, right by the "entrance" to the back garden, just needs the strawberry leaves pulling away. Woo hoo!

Karmacat

Oh dear, this isn't very much, but things took a bit longer than expected. Off to do gardening now.

- washing machine is on.
I pulled in the washing too quickly: I'll put a bit back out when I go gardening.

- SB nearly done.
All done now, ridiculously high award for 3 minute survey, hurray.

- send a birthday card pronto, from my brand new list
Found the birthday card stash, at least

beanielou

Glad that you found the card stash