It’s February and I’ve just been out and weeded and turned over soil for a new row of peas – all before breakfast. Normally this foolhardy early morning burst of energy in February is deemed sensible as at this time of year it would be far too hot to garden in the midday heat. But not this year. And definitely not today. I was out there this morning because I was frustrated. This summer (if you can call it that) has been cold, wet, windy and generally not living up to the expectations of the long hot dry summer holidays I remember from my childhood.
I haven’t written much about the garden lately, because it would just be a giant moan about how awful it has been.
But I have pulled myself together, and with the kids back at school I can actually hear the thoughts in my head, and they are telling me, gardening is never perfect and there is always next year. And so with this in mind I am going to shame- faced-idly (is that even a word? – is now) share the horrors of my summer garden, and what went wrong, and the stuff that defied the odds and actually went well.
One of the upsides of a crappy summer is there is a whole lot of learning to do. So much more of a challenge than a perfect summer where all good things go perfectly! Although I have to say, my first veggie patch about four summers ago went really well, I give it full credit to me still being here doing it now as each summer since has not been without its challenges, culminating in this one which has by far been the yuckiest!
I am a person who likes order and things looking nice, which to the people who know me go “Really?” But it’s true, I like my veggies in rows and the lawns mowed and the compost in bins not piles and my garden spaces orderly. Towards the end of summer when the plants are past their best and there are rogue plant pots and watering cans left where they lay, and weeds in the too hot greenhouse, I tend to give up and walk away for the season, leaving a mountain of work to do in the spring to get ready again. Well this year I declare publically that THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT!
I have started down this road already, by clearing out my shed. My shed is actually new and shouldn’t need clearing out, but in the hurly burly of spring I got into the dreadful habit of just lobbing stuff in there to “sort out later!”
Which is an awful thing to do with my lovely shed that I acquired through hard work, hard saving and the winnings from a blogging gardening competition last year. It’s my dream shed and I finally have it exactly how I want it, and so it is from here that I will be spending my time in serious pontification – planning my next big garden.
Come again soon – I shall endeavour to bring you up to speed as quickly and possible and then regale you with all the exciting stuff to come as it happens!
Sarah the Gardener : o )
PS: We have some more tiny baby chickens – hatched yesterday.
Those little chicks are to die for… 🙂
Another couple have since hatched and they are already running rings around their Mum! So cute! S : O )