SUNRISE ON MY GARDEN
Although we are now having below zero temperatures at night, and more wind and rain than anyone could want, at least the sun smiles upon us now and then. This is a picture taken on my mobile phone from my back garden early this morning. I think the sun lasted about 10 minutes before it disappeared for the day. Thanks a bunch, sun. Come out, come out, wherever you are!
I am happy to say that most of the gardening has been done in readiness for winter. I've planted the roses that were in pots and dug up the 'Fascination' dahlias and put them in the shed to dry out a bit before I store them in a cool place for the winter. It was such a shame to dig them up as there were still flowers and plenty of buds, but the leaves were showing signs of being frost bitten and I wanted to get it all done before the soil gets hard with the cold. The tubers from each plant came up so easily, protected in a ball of beautiful soil, without breaking.
I am so pleased with the way the soil in my back garden is going, and the small strip at the front of the house. When I moved in, it was very impoverished. I mean, really, it was terrible and very heavy with clay. I don't think anyone had really gardened here for decades. Even now I am digging up rocks. I think the area might have been farmland at one point and the sandstone that I am digging up might have once been part of a drystone wall which was levelled when my home was built. Each year I tip spent compost onto the borders and dig it in. I waste nothing. Every pot, every tub, every trough, roots and all, goes back into the ground except for roots like mint which are too invasive and would spread. When I can, I chop old plants into the soil too and let it rot down. When I was digging up the dahlias, the soil was so dark and friable. Beautiful condition.
I am happy to say that most of the gardening has been done in readiness for winter. I've planted the roses that were in pots and dug up the 'Fascination' dahlias and put them in the shed to dry out a bit before I store them in a cool place for the winter. It was such a shame to dig them up as there were still flowers and plenty of buds, but the leaves were showing signs of being frost bitten and I wanted to get it all done before the soil gets hard with the cold. The tubers from each plant came up so easily, protected in a ball of beautiful soil, without breaking.
I am so pleased with the way the soil in my back garden is going, and the small strip at the front of the house. When I moved in, it was very impoverished. I mean, really, it was terrible and very heavy with clay. I don't think anyone had really gardened here for decades. Even now I am digging up rocks. I think the area might have been farmland at one point and the sandstone that I am digging up might have once been part of a drystone wall which was levelled when my home was built. Each year I tip spent compost onto the borders and dig it in. I waste nothing. Every pot, every tub, every trough, roots and all, goes back into the ground except for roots like mint which are too invasive and would spread. When I can, I chop old plants into the soil too and let it rot down. When I was digging up the dahlias, the soil was so dark and friable. Beautiful condition.