Garden makeover - right up to date!

Patrick has been painting the fence and finished it on Thursday

I have made wigwams and planted runner beans in the raised beds and some salad leaves and a few courgettes - all desperately needed planting.

I have also another wigwam of climbing beans on a raised bed next to the rhubarb

I was worn out after an appointment Friday, but when we came home, rain was forecast for Saturday afternoon - so we just had to get the lawns mowed.  (I am a hard taskmaster aren't I)

It was very much a joint effort with Patrick mowing the front and me doing the back.  He had to get the mower started for me as we had problems with both the petrol and electric one.  I think we should invest in a new mower - one with a push button start instead of pulling the string - it would be so much easier.

The wood edging I put all along the path has worked - the chooks no longer scratch up the gravel onto the path and garden

But hey - we did it! We mowed all the lawns!

I am not too impressed with the quality of turf - but I am sure that it will pick up with some rain

It is really taking shape now, and I think it looks so  much better.

I pruned the willow arch and covered up the patio table and umbrella - wishful thinking that the rain forecast will arrive.

The garden is starting to look lush now - despite the heatwave and lack of water.

Maxine's bed is going to be stunning. 

Reluctantly I pulled up most of the forget-me-nots which had gone to seed, but the lupins are racing away and are almost luminescent as dusk starts to fall.  They are just coming into flower

I have popped some cosmos seedlings in amongst the Alstromeria perennials - the little twigs are to keep the bantams off.

This gorgeous is flowering for the first time this year - I think it is because the pergola has been removed and they are now in full light

They look like a form of Iris - but with fine leaves and more than one flower on a stem.

 

The pathway under the now removed pergola should look a riot of colour this year.

Just in view on the left is a willow wigwam with a clematis growing through it - I have high hopes for this

I have weeded the woodland garden - it flowers later in the year, but the shrubs positively glow, and the chickens love rummaging around in there.

Where the chair is is the corner, where the gazebo used to be, I have laid out the turf that Pat dug up - grass side down - to rot and create perfect soil for a continuation of the woodland bed.

My garden studio with a new coat of woodstain - I have only been in there to vacuum up the floor once the gardeners had gone.  It's calling me to relax and do some crafting. 

I hear you - but I have got to go up the allotment first before I can pay a visit.

The lean-to potting shed - has had a coat of stain and looks so much better.  The door and frame came out of the wall completely, so I had a man in to fix it for me.

This side way was a complete mess - wish I had taken before photos.

Basically the chooks used to scratch all the gravel from the sides every day over this pathway, plus soil from the flower beds.  I have weeded out all the self sown flowers - mainly hollyhocks which are huge and grew over the path.  Taken out all the weeds, and recycled some of the 4x4 roof struts of the pergola to create an edge as I did alongside the bungalow - just to stop the chooks scratching any soil or gravel onto the slabs.

I had transplanted my tomato plants twice before, and now I have planted them in pots where they will stay for the summer in the lean to potting shed.  They will grow really quickly from now on!

Apart from the above, I have weeded every flower bed in the back garden, moved sacks of top soil, sand and cement.  Tidied up lots of other areas - cleaned the filter in the pond pump five times since it was installed.  Planted up many pots of flowers - with lots more to do besides.

I have the bruises, splinters, and scratches to show for it.

But do you know what?  I feel so happy and 'alive' to be outside working - even if it is late in the evening.