Weeding, planting and taking out of storage

Tues 16th April
Weather: Up to 9°C, cloudy for most of the day and windy.

Thurs 19th April 

Weather: 9 - 11°C. Sunny but really strong winds.

I'm back in the garden now. I worked in the High Garden topping up the main stock bed with more Ammi majus. I also did weeding and gently 'tickled' the soil over. This may mean we lose some of our seedlings, but it's so that we don't have to touch this bed for a couple more weeks and it helps keep the plants in check. I had to more purposefully thin out self-sown seedlings like honesty (Lunaria annua) and alliums though (probably 'Purple Sensation'), in block planted areas of things like Helenium and Anaphalis margaritacea var. yedoensis.

Weds 17th April
Weather: It didn't feel like it but apparently the temperature went up to 15 - 16°C. It started off cloudy & windy, and then rainy. The sun did fully come out though after noon.

I worked with James to plant up an area in the Orchard Garden nicknamed Vietnam. This is an area where we're trying to create more impact and do planting that will catch the eye of people and entice them to walk around it more instead of past it. We did a combination of Rumex olympicus & some variegated Iris taken from a big clump already in the middle.

Mon 22nd April
Weather: It went up to 12°C. Cloudy to begin with but sun broke through in the afternoon, then the wind picked up and it became more chilly.

Dahlias and cannas are coming out again and are being taken out of the cellar to be split if necessary and started to be grown on. A fresh more bark based old soil mix is used. We try to keep them fitting exactly in a pot as much as possible and not in more soil than it needs - otherwise there's a chance they would shrivel/ rot away.

I also went on Fergus's Succession Planting day. I am starting to truly understand that succession is not just about having plant interest all time of the year, but that one bed can change from light and airy, to fiery warm colours and have an enhanced transformation of height & space in one season by carefully chosen companions. It is probably one of Fergus's most inspiring talks and what Dixter particularly excels at.