
We had our first gardening session of the spring today. The weather wasn't quite as lovely as yesterday but, compared to the deluge that the forecast had been predicting only the other day, it was perfectly fit for purpose - no rain to speak of at all, which was a definite bonus! We made good use of the time, finishing off the winter pruning (currants, jostaberries and gooseberries got their annual tidy up) and creating some hardwood cuttings in the process. Having discovered the art of taking cuttings just a few years ago, it has now become a compulsive habit with me and I can't imagine not making use of those bits of the plant that would otherwise be thrown away. It might be hard to believe that, in just a couple of years, these will be fully formed new plants, but a quick look at last year's 'babies' created by Alice using this very same process showed that the magical transformation is already underway - new buds bursting and they are raring to go. It is always lovely to be able to share the ease and speed of this with a new generation of helpers in the garden and this morning was no exception to that so huge thanks to all who came along and helped!
Other jobs successfully completed this morning include the mulching of the raised beds with our very own compost and the clearing away of last year's seed heads to the compost heap, with the exception of the sedum stems which we thought might make quite a nice 'bug hotel' thanks to their hollow stems. We might make this a fun activity for next year's March session, so watch this space!
Other jobs successfully completed this morning include the mulching of the raised beds with our very own compost and the clearing away of last year's seed heads to the compost heap, with the exception of the sedum stems which we thought might make quite a nice 'bug hotel' thanks to their hollow stems. We might make this a fun activity for next year's March session, so watch this space!