in the garden

Did I just call it a garden?

As you can see from the pictures,  It is more a wildflower and weed haven.

I have made some developments here and there.  We dug out a pond where the stream over flows and I've planted around 500 bulbs, mostly daffodils, tulips and crocus but with a few pricey alliums thrown in.  The result will be eye watering.  I didn't go for muted tones or even a specific colour palette.  I just got them all in the ground.  My theory is that there is so much green, any colour variations would be welcome.

I've dug over five beds and put cabbage - red and spring, Kale - red and green as well as purple sprouting broccoli and strawberry plants in them.  I was getting worried as I dug because the topsoil was so thin.  If I dug down three inches, I was met with a clay subsoil.  After consulting with neighbours, I found out that the previous owner had had the field flattened and scraped, and that most of the topsoil from this field was dumped on the banks of a nearby stream.

This revelation has completely changed our plans around.  Subsoil is apparently what you need for a good wildflower meadow.  So, where the vegetable garden was going to be would be the ideal place for wildflowers, bee hives and some fruit trees.  I initially found this hard to accept, as it didn't fit in with my plans.  I am learning - slowly - that working with what we have is far easier than trying to force my will.  So, for this Winter I will leave the brassicas where they are, and feed them as best I can, but next Spring I will not be planting out in this field.

I've done some exploratory digging over in the big field - the one we planned to leave for a hay crop - and found this to be much better soil.  It crumbles if you fork it - whereas the other soil lay in sad sodden clumps, a coppery shimmery line of clay displayed in each one.

We have just slipped past the Autumn Equinox, and it in an almost text book fashion, the weather has changed - there is now a noticeable chill on what was a warm wind, and we can watch the leaves fall in their hundreds from the trees that line the track.  Most of the trees here are Alder, Beech, Rowan and Hazel.  A useful mix that we will make good use of over the years.

The Alder is very much a weed.  They are springing up in the fields now that they are not being munched down by cattle, and I am determined to rescue as many as possible, and have started a small nursery of saplings in pots whilst I work out where I want to put them,

I'm also eyeing up the Beech saplings I've seen in the boundary ditch, but some of these are over six feet in height, and I'm not sure what is the best way to move them without damaging them.  I do know that over Winter is the best time to move them as they are dormant.  Maybe I should start with one and see how it fares.  Then next year I can move the rest.

So, for now I am very much back to the drawing board.  Trying to work out how much of this land I should turnover to a garden, and what I would like this garden to look like.

I've been watching the '80 Gardens Around the World' as inspiration - and so far I've decided I like the look of Mediterranean gardens...which is northern Scotland is as unlikely as you could get!  A girl can dream...

in the garden(s)

Living in one space but moving to another presents a few complications in the garden.

I'm keen to keep our current one pretty and tidy, which is no mean feat when you have a boy who loves to wood carve all over the grass.

So I'm mostly weeding and cleaning up here. 

I have planted out some broad beans and sunflowers, and there was some spinach plants but I noticed - three days after planting - that a dog has laid on some of these and so they are looking squashed.  My fault as I should have used some of our sticks to build a protective barrier.

The daffodils are finally going over, and making a horrible mess everywhere just now.  The temptation to cut all the stems is huge.

I'm starting to earmark plants I'd like to try and take cuttings of for the new place.  I'm going to divide some of the teeny tiny Alpines that my other half likes so much, and I may try and take green wood cuttings of the Ash tree, but I'm not going to expect much from these as I've never done tree cuttings before. 

Bluebells are everywhere, and I love them.  There seems to be so many more this year than previous.  It may be because I divided up some bulb clumps last autumn when I was digging out a border.  It may just be the conditions are so good.  I think they are my favourite flowers in the garden just now. 

Up at the land there is a lot of this plant: 

(Photo credit :: APhotoFlora.com)

We call it Stitchwort, but its Latin name is Stellaria Holostea.  It's an edible weed, with alleged healing properties ranging from curing constipation, easing bronchitis and colds right through to healing wounds.  It's very pretty and grows in large drifts along the burn bank. 

Other trees we've managed to identify are huge, ancient beech trees growing along the boundary, as well as hazels and wild raspberries growing along the dividing stream.  For simplicity we call the bigger stream "The Burn" and the stream that divides the field "Dividing Stream".  In time we might find out their actual names, or come up with something more imaginative ourselves.

Having a blank canvas has meant a great deal of brain freeze.  It feels daunting just now, but once we get a feel for the place, and factor in shade spots, wind direction and other practicalities, I'm hoping a plan should come together more easily. 

in the (old) garden

(to keep myself sane I am going to post as often as I can about the garden.  This could be the old garden or the new depending on where I am.)

This year is going to be an odd one.

Moving in the growing season means considering the portability of what we're planting.  I'm sticking to broad beans, tomatoes, salad crops and some potatoes in sacks.  I've also got sunflowers and squashes on the go, but these may get planted at the old house and left for someone else.

It also means thinking about making the garden of the old house "sellable pretty".

Not everyone appreciates piles of sticks everywhere.

In between showers I grabbed the camera and took some close ups of rain soaked plants:

This is the start of a twig house, built by eldest and middle boy.

My constant gardening companion.  This is Albus/ Bandit.

Hosta putting on new growth.  I hope they don't get as mangled by the slugs this year as they did the last.

 

Lemon balm.  I took cuttings last year and now have two very healthy new plants to take with me.

 

The Rhubarb.  Already a bit eaten by something.  I may take a crown with me.

Jobs to be done ::

Clear vast pile of twigs left over from tree pruning.
Cut grass
Weed rockery and flower beds
Organise potting shed.