Onion Patch

On Saturday we decided to put some more effort into the design of the garden. Remember, our idea is to make the most of what we have rather than dwell on what we don't. And one thing I do have a lot of is brick. When digging up the 13m length privet last Easter I found loads of bricks buried in the ground. A few of these have been used to boarder a patch we are going to use the grow some onions. I had to move a couple of compost bins to a new home and I still have some serious digging to do, but I think it looks good. We also headed to the DIY shop to buy some concrete slabs. One of these has been put down along with a brick path to the bins. I used some nice bricks that I got from freecycle that all have "Wombwell", a town only 10 miles away, stamped into them. I have another 5 slabs to put down and we are going to take up lots of our turf to extend the growing area.

Behind the onion patch we have got lots of window boxes to grow many salad vegetables which will use the tarmac area more efficiently. These were filled today, it started to pour with rain before I could get a photo.

Next to the pond, at the back of the garden, the last root of privet was too much of a challenge to remove. It still took a serious battering and a chainsaw through the top, but guess what, it is now growing back. What the heck am I going to do with this thing? I think an axe and some copper sulphate drilled into what is left is in order.

Grand Plans

Today I woke up again dreaming of grand plans - we are getting some quotes for raised beds in the garden this week - blowing the holiday fund on something more long term.

But meanwhile the sun is out - and the garden is teaming with life. The wild strawberries (from Otterburn) are spreading around the pond and starting to flower.

Every time we walk by the pond, frogs dip back under the surface. It is so true that a pond is a major help for wildlife in the garden. We ordered pond snails from eBay last year, and they have multiplied and are doing a grand job of clearing some of the green. I didn't know you could send snails in the post, but they arrived safely.

...and the 'proper' strawberries in pots are also looking good


The beginnings of a lovely salad (planted just a fortnight ago)...


These tomatoes are coming on well on the kitchen windowsill - growing purple (Black Cherry), yellow (Balconi Yellow) and red (100's and 1000's) so that Tomas learns about the variety of life!

And finally - a shot of the inside of our compost bin - we are proud to turn veg peelings, tea bags, apple cores and toilet roll tubes into lovely, sweet earth. I can't believe it works! It's a little miracle!

Oh, and we are no longer 8th on the waiting list for an allotment. We are now 7th. The allotment officer sounded interested in the fact that there were 2 plots being uncultivated and that there is scope for extending the site.