A Diary Entry: 21 April 2015

Since 2006 I've been in New Zealand during the winter so have I not been here in Eagleton in April. Yesterday and the previous three days have been perfect Lewis days for getting into the garden so I have been doing things about four weeks earlier than I might usually have been doing them. On Saturday morning when I woke my body reminded me in no uncertain terms of the 9 hours hard labour it had been subjected to on Thursday. Since then the physical labour has made me feel more alive and more fit (I did get a gym session in yesterday morning) than ever.

The reason I said this is a diary entry is that I would like a reminder as to when I started in the garden this spring. When I started the blog it was supposed to be part diary and part family communication tool.

These four glorious days have enabled me to fill a large wheelie bin twice with moss etc scarified from the grass (I'd like to call them lawns but that would be stretching it a little more than a tad). This should give the grass a good start this year.

I finished off the wind covers for the raised beds, did a lot of sorting out in the shed and prepared an old slip drum with drainage holes etc for use as a potato barrel in which I planted First Early potatoes. I planted the first rows of beans, peas, beetroot and lettuce and some herbs in the raised beds. I prepared pots of over-wintered begonias etc. It may be too early for all that up here but time will tell.

Then, with the help of a pickaxe to get at the deep roots, I took out a hedge of hebes to give light to the rockery, a better view of the perennials in the other part of the garden and generally open up the garden.

The outdoor chairs have been sanded and painted. In summer they live in front of the kitchen window giving a view over the pond, the front garden, the Bay and The Minch over to the Mainland.

Old slip holding drum with it's new use for potatoes

The back grass area duly scarified and it's first mow (it's had two more sessions since that was taken).

One of the new raised vegetable beds ready for its covers and planting 

The wind covers (which should also protect plants from the pigeons and other birds too)

The garden with the hebe hedge

and without

All ready for morning coffee in the sun (the chairs were a present from the ladies in the Pottery when I sold it 10 years ago).
They are a constant reminder of good company and are very well used.