The scent of honeysuckle and wisteria first light is fantastic – when it is dry enough. I think I will dry some flowers for …. whatever? Maybe just the scent, wine would be good, but I am not sure.
RHS BRIDGEWATER
A new 154 acre garden is opening in Salford. Admission £12.10 or £7.70 if you arrive by bike or on foot. Locals free on Tuesdays and GP’s can prescribe visits instead of anti-depressants. Costing £35 million the site will hopefully generate £13 million for the local economy. The site is a former scrap yard, derelict area. I think this could be replicated in many area. It is sort of a more practical Eden Project?
INSECTS
PLANTS
I went to the garden centre and have bought some nasturtium, nemesia and some Iceland poppies.
I have also ordered a collection of 12 mints (plug plants0 so they will take a while to get established – but then I think 30cm pots in front garden and/or patio. Pots are a couple of quid each for plastic ones, but ideally I will get terra cotta or more interesting ones eventually. A note that the geum have not germinated so far. Just about everything else has.
I need to sort out kitchen window sill for herbs – mainly basil. And I will plant mustard and cress, and maybe get a chilli plant.
GARDEN TIME AGAIN
House plants 23 April
GARDEN
Domestic bits
Dry again, cold but no frost. Washing on line. Pineapple, rum, coconut thing made. Greek Basil seeds ordered from Jekka with pot marigold, anise hyssop, lemon balm and garlic chives. I think basil, marigold balm and chives need to go into 50cm long trays? Marigold maybe in pots for patio. When the seeds arrive I will have a new planting session as the night scented stock and sunflowers should be big enough to plant out.
Plan to label all spices and herbs has not worked as I have lots of others and like harissa, and do not have some of the more common ones in dried form as I have fresh (Thyme, rosemary, sage). So I am having a plan B! Not sure what this is yet!
I must lend the yogurt maker out to Kate.
Choose 2 more shirts for hanging baskets! I think I have ordered plants for them, but might get a couple to start them off next time I go to Banwell Garden Centre. I will also look out for salvia plants as they attract the bees, but really I do not need anything! Holly is going to help me decide what to transplant and what to sell?
I need to put ginger mint in a pot and the lemon balm – not sure where to stick them – front or back? I think ginger mint in reasonably big pot in front somewhere, then maybe the same with the lemon balm (I think it is a mint anyway)? I had better check to see I have enough plant pots after the fire!
HOUSE AND GARDEN
Some bits and bobs bought, a chilli, ginger mint, lemon balm, cucumber and a squirty thing! Labels for spices – well 36 of them, I will need about another dozen I think. And then Aaron is printing labels for flour and sugar and larger jars. maybe use 2 shelves, one for savoury and one for sweet?
GARDEN
Mid-April and still a touch of frost at night. Plants in the greenhouse have slowed down despite me lighting a candle every night! Put in some more tomatoes and some sweet peppers today. So I think that is a dozen tomatoes and 3 peppers. Just another cucumber and some hot chillies to go. Then plant some more herb seeds and hopefully put some of the herbs and flowers out in the garden.
A dozen or so bulbs are now flowering in the front, diffs, tulips and a couple of others.