Potting

My greenhouse is full of pots! We have chard, squash, courgettes, broccoli, purple sprouting, beans, kale, lupins, aquilegias, sweet peas, and a few trays ready and waiting for the black hollyhocks, larkspur, scabious, knautica, euphorbia, godetia and anchusa which have been ordered from Sarah Raven's online shop.

Pergola

Mab finished the pergola today, and what a fantastic job he has done! It looks positively majestic. I'm looking forward to seeing it smothered in climbing roses, but will have to wait until next year, as it's too late to order bare root roses. It will earn it's keep this summer by propping up my sweet peas.

New Dawn













Sunnyside's first two roses have been planted: New Dawn (left), a rampant rambler to scramble up the side of the outside loo, and Louise Odier (right) a fragrant 'old' shrub or climber, recommended by Sarah Raven as a good rose for cutting.

First garden day of the year

Spring is truly here. The snowdrops have finished, the helebores and snowflakes (leucojum vernum) are out and the daffs are beginning to open. Mark and I both had the day off in the garden and things are now really taking shape. Last year's gardening efforts involved digging a big hole and refilling it. Now that particularly tedious job is finished, I feel that this year's gardening experience will be much more enjoyable. Another milestone was reached as I planted Sunnyside's first climbing rose, New Dawn, against the wall of the outside loo. Marks efforts these past few days have been even more monumental. The fruitcage is finished (picture to follow) and the pergola begins to take shape, adding instant structure to the garden.