Garden update

Just let me grab the remote control and switch Alan Titchmarsh off. It's that time of year again when I sit and watch the Chelsea flower show coverage and wish that my garden was half as good as the show gardens - maybe one day. It was my mother-in-law who introduced me to the delights of Chelsea flower show many years ago. She'd just recently taken up gardening and asked me had I seen the coverage of Chelsea on the television. Now I, at that time, thought Chelsea was all about judging who grew the biggest dahlia or the longest carrot but that evening I watched one of the programmes and was amazed to see the wonderful show gardens and from then on I was hooked. Anyway, enough of that - you haven't popped in to hear me reminiscing about the past, you want to find out what's happening right now.

Well, progress in the garden has been slightly hampered due to the fact that a couple of weeks ago whilst exiting the caravan/greenhouse I decided not to bother coming down the steps the usual way and managed to hurl myself from the doorway straight down to the ground, twisting my ankle round in the process.  I have never been in so much pain before in my life - but then I've not had a baby! Fortunately it was a Sunday which meant David was home but unfortunately he couldn't hear my wails for help over the music he had blasting out in the cottage. He happened to glance out of the window and saw me crawling along the ground and then rushed out to my rescue. We both came to the conclusion that the ankle wasn't broken just badly strained and that I should just rest it for a few days which would give me the chance to catch up with the interior designer and get on with the hotel plans. However, this has caused a slight delay with me getting the garden in order - but never mind, we're used to delays now.

The new plants are coming on a treat though. You may remember earlier in the blog that four seedlings had appeared in the caravan/greenhouse, well many more have appeared since then to join them.

Last week I had a delivery of perennial plugs direct from a nursery so I've now potted these  up and when they're a bit bigger, and the beds are prepared for them, they can be planted out and help turn my imaginary garden into reality.

I'm also hardening off some trailing geraniums to pop in the planters on the steps at the front of the house and some ordinary geraniums and sweet peas to brighten up the front of the cottage.

As yet I haven't tackled the kitchen garden so for now I've just sown some radishes, salad leaves and spring onions into planters in front of the cottage. I've also started off sowing in the caravan/greenhouse sugar snaps and french beans which will be planted into containers and then join the rest of the veg in the spaces between the wooden planters in a couple of weeks.

All these little plants are watched over and guarded from intruders by Alfie.

Well, hopefully next time you pop by the seeds in the veg planters will have sprouted and work will have progressed in the main garden. I did manage to get two lawns cut yesterday so the ankle's definitely on the mend. Tara for now.