Gardening with my mates

I know there has been almost nothing on here for months! It is gutting but since Syn moved out of the house, I haven't found the time to get round there on a regular basis...

However, on Sunday, I did get to help out Seany G and Sara with their new garden. And, it's gonna be so good!

Sunday's eager beavers included Sara, Seany, Kate, Syn and I. On the right you can see the canes where Sara and Syn planted sunflower seeds and at the back right is the all-important shed.


Here Seany and a strange Russian lady discuss the vegetable patch tio be... Oh no, sorry! That's Synnove - vegetable patch specialist.

I think final choices for the first planting were onions, garlic, parsnips, rocket and beans. But I might be wrong...



Sara had obviously spotted the presence of an all-out gardening hero and, not only copied the stylish fun hat image, but even the rock star gardener stance.

I'll let you off this time Sara, but in time you're going to have to develop your own unique gardening style!



And speaking of style, this is Kate on bramble clearance psycho-style. I wouldn't say efficient, but certainly entertaining....



We also cleared a poor trere of ivy. The tree was literally being strangled and these wounds were from where the ivy had been cutting in to the trunk. So much sap!



It is beautiful stuff in a weird kind of way...



And to finish off...

Pints of course.

And Kevin.

Turfs up!

Special post for Sam really.... Look at the turf mate. Not only has it settled in, but it is actually outgrowing the rest, which is causing a few problems. A bit of grass from down by the kitchen window was complaining the other day that since the new lot moved in, it had received no attention... Well, if it could have talked, I think that's what it might have said.

Have a look though, it is lush!

Front end tidying

So, over the last couple of months, we have been really concentrating on the back and it is looking great. However, just to spite me, the front has gone nuts at the same time.

Today has been very much a tidying session. The nemesi were out in force and they'd brought their friends, the paininthenecks and thebloodyrootswontcomeout. While annoying, these weedy b------s underestimated the power of the Pete and were soon littered across the path, wilting in the sun. With the hedge trimmed and the thing round the door given a new 'do', the front looks civilised again....

Next thing out here is to decide what to do with the actual garden bit. So, if any of you has any ideas, please let me know in the comments...

It's not that nothing happened....

Yep, I got lazy (and my camera drowned in Glastonbury rain). That's why no posts...

So here goes with the first of two.

First the back garden

The veggie patch is riotous and if it grows any bigger, I think it should start paying rent... Just as a refresher as it's been such a while, this is what it looked like on the 5th May...


Now, feel the power of it's latest incarnation...

Bushy, innit! However, several people have told me to stop posting photos of veg. You see them everyday outside shops anyway. I kind of agree, but am gonna post one today as it's our first courgette.


In other garden news, green fingeredness has infected a new resident of the house. German, possibly the most international man I know (so far, I have narrowed it down to three countries of birth, none of which are Germany ironically enough) has planted a bushel(?) of basil. This is the first competitor in the garden, so if it starts to outshine any of my stuff, I will scythe it down and blame the fox.

Also new in the back are a patch of snapdragons and a couple plants that will flower beautiful orange blooms next year, but which I've forgotten the name of. Now onto the front....

Mother comments on blog shocker!

Dear Mum

After no less than nine posts, you have finally commented on my blog. Thank you - my favourite comment so far...

From son

P.S. Send me a photo and I'll post it.

Dark gardening 2: Shallow graves...

Got home from Sam's, tired, but fired [up].

Scythed through the nemesi remaining in my path and prepared the ground for turf.

Brilliantly, the shape for the turf to go in was vaguely grave-like, meaning I'd be transferring it from body bags to shallow graves. Message: don't mess with me!

Enjoyed piecing it together and it was really close to covering the whole gap. I will steal a bit from elsewhere to finish.

Here's the before then....

And the after...

So, turf down, veg in. Next rockeries and herb garden. Bring it on....

Dark gardening 1: Coming home in a body bag...

Sunday: Turf Day.

Went to Sam's house to collect the turf yesterday. We started with a cup of tea, thinking that this would be a breeze.

Wrong.

Two sweaty, curse filled (Sam's spade brilliantly features a sharp metal screw protruding from the handle) hours later, we had turf.

Sam lifts turf. Looks like rain on the ground. That is actually sweat.

Well worth it as the bags of turf looked just like gangsta style dead people bits. Funny looks on the street as we loaded them into the car!