Little Flower

A beautiful small Blue Geranium? flower with gorgeous blue and purple colouration with a white centre.This was growing on someones allotment plot besides the path.I knelt down and took the photo of the flower.
There was a Dandelion growing on one of my dug beds, and I also saw my first daisy of the year.
A big bumble bee and a ladybird were also photographed today.
Spring sunshine, flowers, and insects made it a pleasant day off from work.

The Plot Today

I spent three hours today clearing a new bed and forked over the smaller 7foot x 4foot bed digging out weeds and devil grass roots.It was suuny though and warm for part of the day.
Cat came up and rescued me after three and a half hours.I am too driven sometimes and would keep digging untill I cannot stand up!
The allotment is teaching me patience, and pacing myself.
I have four beds done, with the fifth marked out at the back.I want to get some more done tomorrow.


Maybe the warm Spring day has helped evaporate a little of the water left behind after three weeks of rain since my birthday.
The tarpaulin has been dragged back a little further.Over two thirds of the plot has been cleared and dug over.All the beds need lots of organic matter added to help the drainage and improve the soils fertility.
Cat took my photo on the left by the communal manure heap, and the water tap.
The clearing of two years wildness has been a slow process. Clearing, forking, weeding, then digging deeply.I am planning what to plant where when it is completed...
Maybe the middle of April I hope.

Watching The Weather

I worked today and despite some rain and hailstones it was sunny for most of the day. I have just checked the weather for the next three days and found it says rain for monday and tuesday, with sunny intervals on wednesday.
I want to finish the Allotment clearing and try to add some manure to the beds. I'm itching to get things planted. Before the fun of planting and tending you have to do the heavy digging and clearing. I hope the soil is drier after the sun today.
I made a new bird feeder station the other day to hold the Goldfinch thistle seed and sunflower hearts.There are sunflowers germinating in the soil so I will leave them to flower and set seed to feed the birds.
This Bluetit sat on the new station then investigated the tiny black seeds in the feeder.
My Daffodil has flowered today, and also one of my Chilli plants has an ornate little white flower. Five chilli plants are growing now, but the biggest one has multiple flower buds.The chillis will follow the flower I hope. Photos tomorrow when its better light.
I weather watch now to see if im likely to be able to get to the allotment and to work out if frosts are likely to strike.
The clocks went forward one hour last night, so an hour less in bed for me last night zzz.We are in British Summer time now (even though its spring).
I have three days off before nights.I hope the weather holds...

Goldfinch Enticing

As I sat yesterday I saw this Juvenile Goldfinch sat above my garden, closer than they have ever come before.I have a feeder hung up now with black Thistle seed, with small holes for the birds to eat the seeds from.
The Finches usually stay on the Fir trees behind the Privet hedge.I have not seen any in my garden yet.I hope the Niger seed and sunflower hearts can entice them down.The Goldfinches are the most beautiful colours on the head and yellow wing bars.
I have two long days, so the birds can chill unwatched this weekend.The Sky is blue outside.I hope it stays dry long enough for the allotment to dry out a bit.
Have good weekends wherever your gardens are in the world.

Three Colours Spring

Blossom flowers on a fruit tree at Swillington yesterday. I spent too much money but came back with lots of plants and some seed to attract the Goldfinches.

Iris Cantata at Hil's yesterday. They are like Monet paintings with Blue, white, and yellow.They were quite delicate. I hope my Dutch Iris grow on as well soon.

Back in my own garden the few Crocuses that have opened. They look spectacular as buds then either get eaten or deflate like popped balloons. Next years Crocus will go into the windowbox to see if they fare any better.
A wet and windy day.I just watched the birds.Its back to work over the weekend.I hope to dig the last ghost bed at the allotment on Monday if its dry..
There are so many projects and things growing, no shortage of subjects to blog about.

Spirit Of The Amaryllis

Hils wanted me to see her two Amaryllis which are in flower by her dining room window.The sun crept through the clouds and illuminated the red sail like petals...
This Quadruple flowering one has a reddish/salmon colour but had the quality of a stained glass window.








This one was Ferrari Red, with the centre in shadow being darker in colour...












The third Red photo shows the ghostly eyes, not just Orchids and Pansys that have faces on them. The spirit of the Amaryllis smiles through.
Mine is a poor cousin with three foot leaves but no sign of any flower buds. Heres hoping it flowers for me.

Two Views Of The Garden

This was the thing I noticed in the garden..Its amazing what we see sometimes and what other people see in the same place.










A fly sitting on the Heather plant earlier today.I was amazed as he calmly sat while I photographed him. He was drinking the raindrops from the petals.










This is what Cat noticed.That the first Daffodil was nearly in Flower and it had caught some raindrops too. This was the bulb brought from Cheltenham when I did Mums new garden.She has now moved back into our old house and the departing tenants have let the garden go to ruin.

The original inspiration at Barley Close in Cheltenham that sparked my interest in Gardening.
The garden that launched 1000 plants (A la Helen of Troy) needs my greenfingers this Summer.
Swillington tomorrow and plant shopping.I can dream tonight of what I might buy for the garden and the allotment.

Mud And Charity

Mud, mud, glorious mud.. It rained virtually the whole time I was up at the allotment today. The third bed has been forked over.It needs double digging when it drys up.
I added some sand to the boggy first bed by the compost bin. Even simple turning the soil has made the drainage improve slightly.It needs to be dry before I can remove the weed roots and devil grass that is encased in clay..
Three and a half hours later and I was tired so I stopped. On the way out I met Mr Saddiq the guy who has the one third of the allotment. He seemed impressed by the transformation of the wilderness that has bordered his.
He says I can dig his beds over once I have done mine! The Two thirds I have done has taken three weeks so far.The last third is covered with the black tarpaulin.
He actually drove me back afterwards to the house, and saw the garden at the same time. He is going away for four weeks, I wander how much will be done when he returns?
The reason I have the allotment is that he told the allotment lady that he would give up the two thirds so another person could have one, as there is a long waiting list!
The recipient of that charitable urge was me, so once I have cleared my half tamed wilderness I will tidy up his beds and plant some onions, and courgettes for him (I have two Onion sets, more than enough for both plots).
Its going to rain for the rest of my days off so tomorrow is plant shopping at Swillington with Hils and Cat.
Here is to Mud and Charity :)

Under The Weather

After the four thirteen hour days I was too tired to venture out to the allotment today.I have some sand to add to the first rectangular bed to try to aid the awful drainage problem.
There are the two smaller beds to dig over, and the first bed to properly dig.The snow has melted and the day has been overcast.
I got up late and did some spring cleaning of the house.I will take more photos tomorrow of the garden and the allotment.Plants grow better when you dont look at them for a few days.
My fav coloured flower at the moment is the Muscari. I have another ten or fifteen plants growing the grape like buds slowly.The one in the blue pot has been in flower for weeks now.I love the Blue colour with the Yellow hint on the buds end.
I have four days off to recover from work, and to get some more gardening done!

Easter Sunday

The view from the Kitchen door this morning at 6.15am, with snow on the ground.It is still snowing now.Time for the walk to work soon.
Happy easter wherever you are in the world.

Chilled Day

A late post on Saturday night.I have had a quiet day with no gardening or digging up at the allotment. Its been freezing with high winds and hail stones, with snow forecast for the UK. The cold snap has taken out my eager seedlings in the greenhouse (Remind me next year to sow seeds later). I need to reorder my Tumbling Toms tomato seeds from Mcfothergills.
In the right border the mystery bulbs have flower buds on them now, and Muscari flower buds are pushing up through the strappy other leaves.
The strong winds brought down some branches from the nearby Fir trees behind the Privet hedge. I collected them and stuck them in the garden fence near the feeders. Trying to tempt the Goldfinches down into my garden. The Niger seed will be the next plan if the pine cone branches do not work..
Back to work again tomorrow.Its Easter Sunday and a bank holiday on Monday. I hope to be up at the Allotment on tuesday.
The Collared Doves are returning now to my garden to enjoy the Bird table. I replenished the fat balls, ground feeders, and sunflower seed feeder today.
The bird was dozing in the freezing wind, with his feathers fluffed up like a thick duvet.I was snug inside on the sofa chilling out, watching The Waltons DVD which I picked up from the Royal Mail delivery office as it was too big to go through the letterbox on Thursday.

Rhubarb And Custard

Inspired by Cats red and yellow sweets these pair of flowers were growing in the centre bed of the community garden up at the allotment yesterday. The Red Rhubarb-esque of the Tulip, and the Yellow of the Daffodil.
I thought of these two colour combination before I slept last night.My own Daff's and Tulips are only thinking about flowering. The red tinged Tulip is very early flowering.
I hope my own gardens will flower soon then I can blog them.

Sunshine, Mud,And Bird songs

End of the day today. Its back to work tomorrow so thats it for this week I think.I am doing the wilderness clearing between hospital shifts. Two dug beds that need some edging and two ghostly beds that are outlined but not cleared or dug. The paths are visible that will need clearing of grass and weed supressing membrane laid down, so I can get around the vegetable beds..

Cat suprised me as I was busy in my own little world turning the first rectangular bed over to try to get it to dry off ready for digging over. Its still sodden wet. The compost bin of my neighbour is my coat stand with my bag and camera on a raised dry patch. I have exposed about two thirds of the Plot. The black covering will kill off the grass and weeds by cutting off their light supply.I am suprised how far I have dug though. The plot behind me has been covered by black plastic, and carpet.I wander if they will leave it for a year before attempting to clear it.I started from the top and am working my way down the plot.I hope in a year it has all been dug, cleared of weeds, and is growing soft fruit, rhubarb, and vegetables..


A work in progress today, the pop up green garden tidy and the busy fork posing for a photo.

End of the third day up the allotment yesterday (Tuesday) with three new beds roughly marked out behind the first rectangular bed. The boggy one with the plastic bottle is wet. Hils stepped in and nearly lost her shoe. The sopping clay sucked it down about five inches leaving a footprint embedded in the soil...

Cats Snap.. of the snappy gardener armed with a spade and grand ideas..

Fran volunteered yesterday to help me mark out the borders and clear the top layer of grass and weeds. I came back today and dug over the second rectangular bed. To clear the taproots and grass I dug down two spades deep. It took me four hours and I ran out of energy then.
A hot shower, and a Roast Chicken dinner later and i'm ready for bed before four long days in five days. Saturday may have to be a rest day.Im hoping for dry weather to dry out the first rectangular bed. It needs digging properly and all the weeds and roots removing.It was still entrapping my fork today and not letting go of it.
When the birds were singing and the sun shining it was quite relaxing up at the wilderness.It is progressing slowly.

Digging In The Morning

The first garden thing I did this morning after five hours sleep was to dig a big hole in the left hand border. I moved a few plants around to accomodate the new arrival. The Rose bush Lady Emma Hamilton.I added some home made compost and the last compost from my bag to the roots, then watered it in.
The stones were put back on around the rose's heel to keep the weeds out and as an ornamentation.
The Label reads David Austin Roses on one side, and Lady Emma Hamilton on the other.
I will monitor its growing progress on the Blog, hopefully to some beautifully scented flowers in Apricot andCopper.
Next stop is to buy a bin for storing cleared plant and grass debris from the allotment.Its cloudy but dry at the moment, fingers crossed it stays dry.

Birthday Suprise

The David Austin rose Lady Emma Hamilton from Harlow Carr last year.I was woken up on Monday morning by the door being brayed loudly. I stumbled out of bed after my last night shift to find a Royal Mail delivery of a large David Austin marked brown bag, about three foot tall.
Inside was a gorgeous bare root Lady Emma Hamilton rose bush. Ready to be planted in the garden when I work out where to put it.
A late birthday present from Cat, that had taken a few weeks to be delivered.It was supplied with a muddy recipt, and muddy roots.I can imagine the Guys digging out bare root roses from the ground, brushing the soil off the roots, ready to be packaged.They describe the rose as being the colour of Apricot and Copper. The scent was divine when I sniffed the Harlow Carr roses.
Its freezing outside now, down to minus four degrees centigrade. March is an odd month where the warmth and sunshine gives way to pouring rain and howling winds.The weathermen have predicted a late winter chill.
I refilled my cold frames paraffin heater, and took two tealight lanterns. One is in the greenhouse heating the air up, and one is in the cold frame on the opposite side from the paraffin heater. My strawberry plants and cabbages are looking healthy in the coldframe. The baby carrots and parsley have grown on.
The beetroot seedlings have darkened their stem colour after being exposed to light. I replanted my Bletilla Striata, the surviving bulb from last years failed attempt. The chilli plants have developed flower buds now, small but perfectly formed. They have overwintered well and should produce Chillies earlier than any plants started from seed now.
In the morning I will go upto the Allotment to try and dig two more beds. I want to buy a bin though for depositing weeds and grasses. I have no where to store them at the moment. I need to find a compost bin, or make one from wood when the weather improves. I think turning the cleared plants, weeds, and grasses back into rich organic compost is a good idea. It will all go back into the ground once it has been transformed into black gold.
I have two days off now, since I slept through Monday..Zzzz.I will need my muscles and energys in the morning to take on the wild side of Nature.

Garden Birds And Country Wines

I have one more night left before I can sleep, then get up to try to clear some more of the allotment.It has rained every day so far, so I will be wallowing in mud. The temperature has fallen again so it will be cold and wet.I hope April brings warmer weather to warm the soil up.
The other day the Collared Doves returned. These two are like little and large, the Blue Tit and the Collared Dove on the fence..

I now have two Robins who come into the garden throughout the day. A small one, and a plumper one.Im guessing the Plump one has been feeding since December in the Garden.The Garden is on the birds tour of the neighbourhood. They come and go almost every hour for a snack. They are spoilt by choice with sunflower seeds, peanut kernels, bird seed mix, and fatballs.They often sit on the outside branches of the Privet and wait for five minutes, deciding what is best to eat.Its true in restaurants the bigger the Menu the harder it is to choose sometimes!

The acrobatic Blue Tit examining the fatballs on the fence post.I have been rotating the food between the posts.Next week I will add further posts on the other side of the garden so I can keep them guessing where the food is.They watch me in the garden, then come out when I'm sat in the kitchen watching from the blue chair.
I planted some Beetroot seed two days ago in a mini propogator. The seedlings have come up now, with flourescent pink stems and almost orange leaves. Hil's wants me to grow lots so she can make Beetroot chutney.
I am thinking of all the country wines I can make this year from my soft fruit.The allotment has masses of Brambles..so thats Blackberry (the garden fruit bush is going to be relocated to the sunny allotment as it is not doing well alongside the Viburnum), Strawberrys, Raspberrys (the Bush is growing really well in the right hand border), and maybe Blueberrys..
I have fifty demijohns now in the cellar.I just need about four pounds weight worth of soft fruits to start the wines off.
Once they are matured I will give them away as I rarely drink alcohol!I will have to collect dandelions too from near Frans house for more Dandelion wine.
The other seed are planted were some Carex Comans Bronze, a reddish/brown Carex grass to compliment the green and yellow ones I have already, and the Black mondo grasses.
The grasses give the garden movement and soft noise!
The garden birds always relax me, watching their frenetic activity and listening to their songs as they sing throughout the day.I hope to watch them next week when I'm not knee deep in mud or planting seeds, or potting up seedlings!
I hope all your weekends have been nice wherever you garden.

Green Boats

The Hyacinths from my Secret Santa present are growing nicely now in the ceramic pot. The flower buds are starting to rise between the leaves. They look like five green boats floating on a murky sea of soil.
I hope to have flowers and scents soon.Its funny how much later these have flowered compared to the Bulbs I forced and the bought ones that were also forced. Maybe six or eight weeks later these laid back Hyacinths are near flowering!

Prime Suspect

The Prime suspect in my chewed Catnip Sixhills Giant Plant, Black spot Cat.... She is black with a white bib, with a black spot in the centre of her chest. I said that this lady cat loved roses, but cant grow them with a name like Black spot!
She has the air of being caught...What Catnip?I was just sniffing the plants delicous Aroma...the tips just dropped off...Purrrfect plant...

Blue Days And Catnip

The photo is of two Polyanthus Blue Shades plants. I love the way the reflexive flowers are held in the air, saying please pollinate me to passing insects.
They are Blue, with occasional white, and dutch porcelain coloured flowers. There are two plants on the left border and two plants on the right.
After I woke up I spotted the Black Cat that has been entering the garden.Once she ran off I went outside.She has been eating the Catnip Six Hill Giant, which has had all its growing tips chewed off!
I dont mind Insect damage but I dont even have a Cat!I loved the picture of the flowers. Its never occured to me that the plant would attract the attention of the Neighbourhood moggys!
I might have to dig it up and grow it on a bit.It is only a baby plant and cannot take a lot of Feline damage.When its bigger it will be okay.
The Bird table has been moved about today to by the Viburnum. The birds still flew down to it, although the Cats visit cut the visitors short. They have many eyes the Garden Birds from the Privet hedge.They are wise to the cats visit!
Three more nights to go for me. I am keeping an eye on the weather as I walk to and from work. Dry weather is what I need so I can clear the next allotment bed/s. Two long ones perpendicular to the Potato bed.
I have Onion Sets to plant, Potatoes in April, and Cabbages growing on. I have planted some seeds for Brussel Sprouts and more cabbages in the Greenhouse!
I wander if the Catnip will survive the end of Winter?

Green Tulip Eater

As I was planting yesterday I saw this bug walk across the soil and up the tulip bulbs. He was green with a dark back.
He climbed to the top of the leaves, then back down and dissapeared into the soil..









Here he is in action climbing the Tulip bulb.I wander if he is whats been nibbling some of the leaves?
The wanders of nature!

Cherry Blossom And Bulbs Of Summer

An unknown Cherry Blossom tree that I photographed on the way upto the allotment.It was foul weather last night with gale force winds and rain.I worried about the tarpaulin being blown away. I got up this morning to take some stone slabs upto the plot. I put them onto the black covering.
It was even more rain sodden than yesterday.I nearly got blown over from the strong winds. The front gates were really hard to shut as the wind blew them apart.
I went shopping after my short visit to the allotment for summer bulbs and spent this afternoon planting them, and weeding the borders a little. I planted the Purple Sage and Chamomile i bought from Swillington.
I planted three Poppies, six Dahlias,ten Iris Hollandica Blue Pearl, twenty four Freesias in Blue, yellow, and white,eight Peacock Orchids from Hils, Fifteen Gladiolus in Blues, and whites,TwoIvory Coast Lillys, five Anemones Mr Fokker, and five Anemone The Bride,and finally six Crocosmia Lucifer's . Ninety three Bulbs in all have been planted..
The Spring Bulbs are still coming up.I have a few mystery plants emerging from the soil too. March is a month where the garden seems to come to life after slumbering through the winter.I am too organised planting for the Summer when we have not quite left winter.
I love Cherry Blossom trees.If I had a bigger garden they would be on my wishlist.Its back to work for me soon so the posts will slow down over the next four days!

Sunshine On A Rainy Day

My Second Day at the Allotment/Wilderness saw the sun shining momentarily between storm clouds. I spent three and a half hours there today trying to do some more clearance, and clearing the roots and weeds I left in the first bed.

The birds were singing and the wind blowing. Apart from the childrens school at breaktime it was perfectly quiet.Good reflective silence to imagine what this wild plot could look like..





This Ladybird sat on a leaf by the edge of the allotment where I share with Mr Saddiq.
I looked at his six small dug beds, and bet they he found it hardgoing just to dig them.He must have realised that a whole Allotment plot was just too much work.
I wander how long it had been since it was last cultivated, so thick is the grass, and so fat the perennial weeds have woody stems and taproots that go down a few feet into the clay soil..




The only evidence I saw of previous cultivation was this Alium globe head. I tried to dig down for it but severed the main stem. It was overrun by grass and weeds though.I had cut the tall red weeds down to near the ground leaving enough stem to show me where they are when I come to clear the ground.
There was also a solitary Spring Onion which has been rehomed in my garden. All other signs of previous cultivation have been obliterated. The wild nature has reclaimed the land back from the

gardeners who had been before.There were small shards of a smashed pot decorated in Dutch Delft design but I have only a few bits.
I borrowed the Black tarpaulin to cover the bottom half of the plot. The cleared debris from the top bed is what is holding it on, with a free scavenged bricks.
The Clay soil was waterlogged and it is still raining now so it will be still. I took some bark chippings to make a temporary path around the first bed. It needs a lot of organic matter.I will use the manure that is piled up and pay a contribution when the Allotment holders return from holiday.
It needs lots of organic matter and raising up to help the appalling drainage.The last photo shows the thirty feet by twelve feet plot though. The muddy paths show which way I have trodden. I tried to avoid it today to let it dry out a bit and for the grass hopefully to regrow.
My muscles are still aching.It has been hard going with the rain and clay. I'm working nights again soon so maybe a few more hours tomorrow. I have some summer bulbs and seeds to plant still in the garden.

Clearing The Wilderness

At the end of day one there is some cleared soil after the covering grass and weeds...

I am sat with aching muscles now, after my first day at the Allotment. The huge task of how to clear such an overgrown plot dawned on me.
The rain had not helped as the clay turned into soggy mush. It made it slow dirty work clearing the weeds which had fat tap roots, and grasses that had the devil in its root systems.Some of them were anchored upto a foot beneath the top surface!



This friendly Robin sat on my spade handle when it was stuck in the soil. He hopped about the upturned soil, grass, and root mix.

The third photo shows how densely overgrown it is. The plants did not want to budge.It took me four hours to partially clear a twelve foot by three foot bed, the potato bed!




Around the Edge of the dug soil the rainwater seeped upwards, so its like the Somme. The clay stuck to the tools and my new boots.
I have revised my clearance plan now.I will make individual beds surrounded by paths, but just the grass to start with. I only have to clear the beds that I want and it does not have to be done all this year.
I wander if clay soil is easier to work with when its drier!The UK got battered today by rain and gale force winds. When I was at allotment it was sunny as you can see. It clouded over and i called it a day before I got wet. Clearing weeds and grass in boggy sucking Clay soil was strength sapping.
Im going to rest tonight then try to finish digging over the newly exposed soil. My muscles know I encountered some Wild Nature..

The Wilderness Yesterday

The photo yesterday from the Bottom of the Allotment plot looking up. The compost bin to the right belongs to Mr Saddiq, the guy who wons the first third of the plot!
At the top left is the most enormous bramble bush that runs for eighty foot across.
Blackberrys must be in abundence later in the year.There may be Blackberry wine started off this year.
Gardners need good imagination to see into the future, and how a piece of land or soil will look with cultivation.
I think it faces southeast, and was very windy yesterday.My days off will be split between seed sowing and clearing the Allotment plot.Hils called it the Wilderness!
Under the grass/brambles/weeds is a dark clay soil.I felt it betwen my fingers yesterday.One long thirteen hour shift to go before I can take my tools and make a start!

Blue Shade Saturday

A late Saturday post before bed, and another long day tomorrow. I had planned a day at the forgotten plot, but was so tired after two hectic days at work that i have delayed it untill my next days off.
Hils took me to a nursery in Swillington, where we spent two hours wandering around plant heaven, and all manner of garden sundrys.
I came back with a modest collection of plug plants for sixty pence each, two Herbs for £1.10 each, a bird seed bell for the garden birds, and two Eryngium bulbs for the butterfly border.
The plug plants were six Million Bells trailing plants, Two Bectopa Snowflakes, Two Fuschias, and one Geranium plug plant.
With Cats help (She is out from hospital and better now) I made the four tier greenhouse in the living room, then moved it outside. All my seedlings have now moved into the greenhouse.
I planted eighty four cells with French Marigold seed tonight.I have the first photo of the Forgotten plot (Allotment) today. I took Hil's up to see it.
I walked the edges of it. It is about thirty feet long, and twelve feet wide.We met one half of the couple who bought Fifty pounds worth of Manure which is stacked at the far end of the Allotments by a tap.
The plan is for me to start monday to clear the Allotment, one third at a time. It is overgrown with grasses, brambles, and tall dried red weeds.I need to clear the paths down the edges and think how to make the plot into four beds...
The photo is the Polyanthus Blue Shades, I love the variety of colours from dark blue to white to dutch porcelin colour. The flowers are held above the leaves on stalks, like the Harlow Carr Candalabra Primulas from last summer.
I will recharge the Camera batterys for Monday.Enjoy your weekends wherever you garden.

Blue Zorro

The Blue Tit looks like Zorro with his black mask on, sitting on the new feeder watching me from yesterday. I have worked today for 13 hours and will again tomorrow.Mum sent me a card with some more seeds in it!
I have seeds to plant, a greenhouse to construct, and an allotment to dig over!Once work is done that is.

Gardening Fever

The photo is from Junes trip to Harlow Carr.A ruby red coloured Astrantia Major, like the one I planted yesterday.
I bought two lots of seed potatoes (King Edward, and Nadine) , two onion sets (Stuttgarter and Red Karmen), and some seeds for carrots, brussel sprouts, and Parsnips.
Also bought today three Coneflowers, three Cornflowers, a Blueberry bush, some Blue bulbs (Iris, Gladiolus, and Anemone De Caen). Fran gave me the Freesia Bulbs too.
I found a Frog ornament for £1 and some French Marigold seeds...
The excitement of a new challenge up at the Forgotten Plot made me buy the gardening stuff first, then food shopping afterwards. Cat is better and might go home tomorrow too from the hospital. A good end to my Birthday.

Crocuses And Community Garden

Its my Birthday today. I have been out to meet the Lady about the two thirds of the allotment. The weeds are as tall as me.I have walked from my house to the Allotment in ten minutes. The key is for the Allotment gate which is padlocked. It was cold and I never saw anyone else up there besides Jenny. She said I could borrow some black Tarpaulin to cover some of the plot.It is maybe twenty feet long and about ten feet wide.There was no visible soil at all!
At least I can surmise it is a fertile clay soil.There is a water tap behind a pile of Manure. They had also constructed a Community garden near the main entrance. A raised bed, with a circular path, benches, and an Arbour. She said this was for the Elderly in the community. I'll be interested to see if they come to sit and enjoy the Daffodils that were flowering.
I am sharing the plot with a man called Mr Saddiq. I get the impression he is not in the best of health as the plot was overrun with weeds, or that a full sized plot is a physical challenge to maintain.
I have come back to the house now, opened my cards and few presents. A cup with a Teddy bear holding an enormous heart from Cat. Some seeds, Bulbs, Chocolate, and a Magic Bean from Fran with my name written on the Bean. It came in a pot with the soil and instructions! Chocolate mini eggs from Cats parents....
The Crocuses in the top photo are nearly flowering now.The ones that were open last night were closed after a night temperature of minus four. The Hellebores droop, as do the Primulas when its freezing. The Crocuses close their flowers when its cold. The sun is shining now so the air should warm up slightly.
I am off shopping soon.I want to buy some stuff for the allotment.I wont be planting for a while though as I need to clear the soil and work out my plan!
I love a challenge. This garden was buried under weeds and brambles, the forgotten plot is too. I will have to split my time between the Community garden and the House garden.
Allotment is an old word too. I think community garden is a nicer description used in America.
I will call it the Forgotten plot untill I can come up with a nicer name. What a lovely Birthday present two hundred square foot of Yorkshire soil to grow Vegetables and Flowers.I am buzzing with idea's already. Will post later!