6th - 9th March

6^th March

I completed building the raised bed for section 1 albeit a little ramshackle in appearance and a few days this week I have been collecting topsoil and filling up sections 2 and 3. Now that it has rained a fair amount, the soil in section 3 has settled somewhat and needed topping up. In the garden this week I have pruned the roses.

7^th March

I cleared away the small pile of tardy wood that is on my fire pit, so that now I have a small pile of tardy wood on the lawn. I have cleared the pit and levelled it once again and have started to put some recently acquired bricks in an oval arrangement to build a better brick container for the fire. Time did not permit me to finish though. I did manage to turn some compost and add some manure to it and fork in some rotting material from bin 2 into bin 1. I’m hoping to get more transferred and find some decent quality compost down at the base that I can take to the allotment.

Hilliers Gardens, Hampshire

9^th March

I had a really good lunchtime in the garden with my youngest boy, now a healthy 2 year old. I finished building the fire pit, so maybe I’ll have 1 less excuse for not getting rid of surplus wood. Mind you, the weather is my main excuse. It’s either too wet to enjoy a fire, or too windy and the smoke just goes everywhere, or it is really cold, and yes, I know a fire keeps you warm but . .  or it’s lovely weather and people have their washing on the line! Whilst out there I pruned the plumes from the grass plant (pretty sure it is a pampas grass) and realised I really need to trim it back as most of the leaves are looking worse for wear.

I notice from last year’s journal that I sowed the sweet peas on this date and I did plan to do it today as a celebration of the anniversary, but events overtook me.

The garden is looking promising with a number of tulips coming up and some daffodils ready to bloom, although I’m sure there were far more last year - did I mistreat them? There are buds on the roses and the trees, and the fennel plant is a small mass of bright healthy green leaves, and even the sage is sprouting back into life – all looking well.  Inside, the onion sets are growing. There are quite a few of them which have developed a green shoot, so life for them is beginning earlier as planned.