Garden Tales Taming the Garden Day One - Part One Actual Day - Sunday 29 April 2023

At the beginning of April 2023 I started sowing seeds in the house in an effort to get ahead with some plants from scratch before the season moved on too quickly.  I have been limited with what I have been able to sow, but now everything is starting to come through so I thought it was about time that the greenhouses went up and the garden got sorted a bit.  I could then once the area where the greenhouses will go is cleared then fill them with the seeds and plants that I have obtained so far.

Long story short I was bought two PVC small growing houses/greenhouses a couple of years ago and I put one of the houses up.  The plan was to put the second one up but that did not happen.  Last year at the beginning of May we decamped down to Cornwall in the caravan for three months coming back at the beginning of August so nothing got done at all last year.

With the cost of living going up extensively and still wishing to provide good fresh food for eating and preserving where I can, I decided early on that I was going to grow some things this year and if we got to go away for a few months again I would get my step-daughter to come and water up every few days whilst we were away.

At the moment, it does not look as though we are going to get to Cornwall just yet so I am taking advantage of progressing with the garden.

I thought I would show the garden after it has been sorted out as I was a little embarrassed as to the state of it. Two years ago the next door tenants caused a fire which ended up demolishing our shed, two wine coolers, three freezers, a load of DIY equipment, most of my canning equipment, a large bottle steriliser/hot water bath, a workbench and loads of other items.  Effectively the shed had been used as a Utility room. We lost the lot.  The Landlord since then has not replaced the fencing, but once the garden is sorted I shall be on to them to get their finger out.  We have raised it several times.  The garden got into a state last year as I had Gall Bladder removal operation shortly before we went to Cornwall for three months. Then to compound matters I did not get chance to do any clearing in the garden due to the cold.  I have Raynaud's syndrome in my hands and feet where my hands go white and then Purpley-blue which results in lack of circulation despite wearing gloves. So I keep in the house when it gets colder.  Today is only the second day I have been able to get out and stuck in.

This is the state of the garden.  I must mention that I forgot to take a full photo of the true state of it, but this is after I had started to clear.  You could not see the path which goes to the greenhouse at all.  I had already cleared that by the time these photos were taken.

If you look to the left of his photo near the dustbin you will see a gap down the side of the fence.  You could not get down here when I started.

This photo shows the clearing I have done down to the big bush on the right.  At the back is further foliage that you cannot get past.

This had been cleared a bit before a photo was taken.  Still loads more to go.

Where the greenhouse is.  This all needs stripping out as well.  This big bush to the right has been severely chopped down.  There are now three branches left but the stems are too thick for the clippers to get through.  Himself is going to have to sort this and take it out as it is too thick for me to cut or pull out.

I have all the pots in the bottom of the greenhouse to clean out in readiness for the plants to be re-potted into.  Once a larger area is cleared I can then get the second greenhouse up, and then the covers on both with the strings to tie the houses down with tent pegs and guy ropes.  There is a heck of a lot to do.  I am working from the bottom of the garden back up to the house.

Well that will do for the first report.  I shall be reporting on progress in updating posts as and when I can get into the garden.  Most of this will be down to the weather.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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