March round-up

March is certainly bidding us a very windy farewell; it has been howling a veritable hoolie for the past few days.  Near gale-force winds (but thankfully no more rain) have made gardening a little tiresome, to say the least.  But we have battled away, determined to make progress each day.  At the moment there are half-full/empty bags of gravel, soil, compost and slate chippings (not to mention dug-up plants - oops!) all over the place, as we try to plan the removal and transplanting of various shrubs from one location in the garden to another.  I had a feeling the logistics of this scheme were going to be challenging and it is proving to be just that.  The wind doing it's best to blow us over - and actually nearly succeeding with me this morning - was not something we had factored in and it is almost getting the better of us; it is pretty tiring to work in these conditions.  Possibly we should wait for calmer weather but we are both keen to get this project sorted, and with it, hopefully, the builders-yard mess around the place.  

However, the plans for March were to get outside and begin on the garden, and we have certainly been able to do that.  Seeds have been sown, most have successfully germinated and are being planted on.  We are experimenting with a small heated propagator to nurture some seeds that have proved difficult in the past and making full use of every available window sill in the house.  We dug out and replanted the long side border and that has certainly tidied the back garden up.  

This small congested bed is providing plants for the new border and bed - inevitably some roots get left behind in the process, no matter how carefully I try to dig them out!

We haven't, as yet, had to buy any new plants, making do instead with what was here, what we brought with us and gratefully accepting a friend's gift of spare perennials.  I'm hoping to grow a few more annuals and perennials from seed to add to the planting.  We're trying to keep costs down (as always) whilst improving the overall look of the garden.  I think we're on target so far.

Apart from progress in the garden, March has brought both exciting news and some sad news.  We've managed a lovely family get-together at the top of The Shard, and also enjoyed spending time with N's dad for a week.  Looking back, March seems to have flown by rather too quickly =:o

As for April, there is a birthday (I have stopped counting!) and a holiday to look forward to.  We will finish the new borders this week, wind permitting, and get some order back into the garden.  Perhaps April should be a month to take stock of what we have done so far, and plan the next phase of (mainly outside) jobs that need to be done in the warmer months.  I am sure there will be some sewing, quilting or knitting - or perhaps a little of all three.  And we will continue to potter along, quietly and simply, just as we like it.