Well, That Was Spring

It is back to the word study for at least a week looking at the weather forecast...

Still, I did get a load done. Unfortunately no photos - camera battery need recharging yesterday and weather not conducive today... Changed my mind and braved the 20+ mph winds...

Friday and it was clearing the top/middle of the long bank and other bits I had missed/ignored in previous forays. Doing my mountain goat impersonation as I clamber nimbly up and down - well, clinging on for dear life and praying I don't slip - as I try to gather the dried out moss and leaves from hidden caches underneath the shrubs. A good hour or so removing same from between the stems of the sedums, although this was at ground level. The mahonias give me a lot of pleasure when they are about the only thing flowering through winter but the fallen leaves in spring take great delight in pricking me at every opportunity.

I finished the day taking out all my aggression on pruning the LB buddleia. All my reservations over pruning the fruit bushes and roses disappear when it comes to the buddleia. Even fighting my way around the back of a berberis to get to the front-left and a mahonia to get to the front-right did not deter me in my hatchet job. There were only a couple of overgrown branches in the middle I just could not get the loppers to. Luckily Paul had wandered out so I got him to complete the job. It is now half the plant it used to be...

Saturday and I had promised myself a 'fun' day starting to plant up the LB extension. But I needed to clear the buddleia debris from the massacre first. Then I found an area missed at the back of the flowering currant. And then I thought I really should attempt the get the nettles out from under one of the brooms as this is the best opportunity I will get - ground relatively soft, nettles not too large and other plants not in the way yet.

So, an hour and a half later and time for a coffee/ciggie break as I gather my thoughts for the new planting.

First in a rhodondendron that was brought up in a pot from Sandhurst. It has never flowered up here but still looks quite healthy. I hope it survives the trauma and blossoms, so to speak. Next two more rhodos that I bought from Aldi two years ago and had never made it to the high bank. And then a dwarf rhodo bought last year from Edrom nursery. Next a twig from my cousin Maureen which will hopefully become a hibiscus. And another twig which is showing signs of breaking into life - my daphne from Lamberton nursery. Finally in the far end corner the Kilmarnock willow from Morrisons that was also living in a large pot. I was having trouble digging a hole large enough for it and had almost given up when I realised that the bottom two inches of the plant was actually polysterene chips from the drainage. After I carefully untangled the roots it fitted perfectly. I was also going to give my contorted hazel a new home but the sky had clouded over so I headed back indoors.

Half an hour or so later and the sun was back out and so was I. But I got sidetracked. The top couple of feet (width-wise) of the LB extension from the new wall had never been weeded/destoned etc and has been used as a footpath for the duration of the building work. Not only that but in places the ground level is too low and the breeze blocks are showing. Luckily further back it is too high so I am hoping it will work out.

So I started, getting just over a metre done of LB12 - I have decided to designate the LB extension LB8-LB12, each section corresponding to a section of new wall. However I really need to sort out the last section (LB8) before I can do the top. LB8 has been weed-killered but nothing else yet. Several rocks are piled up at the top waiting to be moved into position as footholds. I may need Paul to help when the time comes - some of the rocks are very large...