APRIL IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

Two beds of onions. The bamboo structures protect from the pigeons and local cat population. The beds get covered with translucent plastic sheets overnight to protect from frost. The hazel poles have been left but are used to weight the plastic sheets and stop from blowing away.

Broad beans grown in pots in the greenhouse this year and then transplanted.

Peas also grown in pots in the greenhouse and transplanted. We struggle to grow peas because of the damage rats and mice do hence the poison box.

Looking up the garden five beds on the right hand side.

Delphiniums in the vegetable garden - I can't wait for them to flower.

Looking up the garden on the left hand side. The bed in the foreground staked ready for runner and climbing beans.

Sweet peas in the greenhouse waiting to be planted in barrels. Small tomato plants behind the sweet peas.

I think Mike has now put runner and climbing beans in these trays.

Some rather successful cuttings from a plumbago.

Nerines

Cuttings and agapanthus in pots.This area is badly riddled with ground elder yes even among the paving hence the black sheeting to smother it.

Up the steps into the sitting area.

I love the latest seat that Mike made using a very large slab and as you can see building blocks to sit it on.

A sunny seat just wait until all those clematis buds come into flower.

Up the next steps onto the back terrace, lovely to watch the hostas grow, before the slugs and snails shred their leaves.

DAFFODIL PROJECT

These beds used to be full of Daffodils but over the years they have disappeared. Part of the problem may be because I used to plant out annuals, bi-annuals and other herbaceous plants which meant I disturbed or damaged the daffodil bulbs.
Each year I think I must plant more bulbs and in fact did plant about 100 a couple of years ago but still they are struggling to flourish. Part of my problem is not knowing which of the beds to concentrate on and where the existing bulbs are, so I decided to do this as a project for me so that next autumn I have a better idea of where I need to plant more bulbs.
The photo above is the first bed on the right walking up the path.

this the second bed on the right is not so bad. I have started to plant Catmint in the beds to add to a later permanent show of flowers without having to keep planting out. It is working well especially as I divided the original two plants and added more last year from two more plants.

This third bed doesn't look too bad and has a rather large rock rose taking up space but it always flowers so beautifully. Must remember not to take a picture of my shadow !! But this is for my project not for a photo contest.

The fourth bed doesn't look too bad either maybe part of the problem is some of the new bulbs didn't flower.

The fifth bed I haven't bothered to plant bulbs because the Rosa Officinalis does tend to over run the bed.

Coming back down the path the fifth bed on the left could do with more daffodils. Need to be careful not to damage the Catmint though.

The fourth bed on the left has some nice tulips but could do with more daffodils.

The third bed on the left again has some nice tulips in but could do with more Daffodils.

This is another photo of the third bed. The leaves at the back are a type of geranium I forget the name but another idea to under plant the roses in these beds.

Th second bed on the left with a rather old lavender but could do with more daffodils.

The second bed again with room for more Daffodils.

The first bed on the left with room for more Daffodils among the Tulips but need to mind the Catmint which aren't so large yet.

And again the first bed.

A view up the path.

and another view minus weeds, no less. The last couple of days I weeded these beds and I was pleasantly surprised how few weeds were growing especially as much of my weeding elsewhere has been to get rid of Ground Elder. I noticed the Ajuga has spread quite a lot on the right hand side of the path facing the house which seems to have helped to suppress the weeds very well. I don't mind it it can look pretty and is easy enough to pull out if it is in the wrong place, but actually you don't see it unless you have a close inspection.

The final photo was taken and posted 12 April 2010 and even then there were not as many flowering Daffodils as we used to get. Must do better.