Seasons of Joy

Obviously I’ve been away for the last couple of weeks and haven’t done too much in terms of gardening or indeed homemaking. Instead I have spent the time writing, reading and spending time with first Charlotte and then the rest of the family for the past few days. It was wonderful!

I handed over the care of my plants to my lovely husband, who is a green keeper by trade, so they were in great hands. I only had two casualties, two primroses, which were eaten by slugs. Not his fault, I guess 🤔. I did try to get him to promise to buy me a drill if he lost any of my plants, but alas I couldn’t! I think he still wonders what on earth would happen if his rather absent-minded wife was to be set loose on the house with a drill in her hands…

Yesterday I enjoyed some time in the garden with Gary, whilst he finished of the patio area he is building under the gazebo:

Before I go on, I must show you what Gary managed to get done in the back garden whilst Charlotte and I were in Suffolk. I can’t find a decent before picture, but if you look at behind Lillie (rhs), you’ll be able to see the mess of the bed behind her, the ivy toppling over from the neighbour’s garden:

Gary cut back the ivy (a huge job) as well as chopping back the three straggly, over grown bushes. He also moved a few old sleepers to create another large bed underneath the now deceased plum tree:

and from the opposite angle:

Didn’t he do an amazing job?

Back to yesterday. I had done a bit of research on plants that slugs don’t like on account of their tough leaves and fragrant flowers. The hydrangea was one such plant, which was handy because I had just bought one from Tesco’s. So, using my new potting area (which Gary made me), I spent a few happy hours planting out the hydrangea, a thyme, an oregano and a yarrow:

It is beginning to look filled up:

Gary and I popped to the tip to see if there were any very inexpensive pots I could use for planting out. We managed to find three medium sized ones. Below are my collection of mints which I use for teas and in salads, and my rosemary, which I use for all things potato:

Next are my new herbs: an oregano, a yarrow, some chives and my new slug repelling hydrangea. The pot at the front was one of the pots we got from the tip:

And finally my primroses (which have just about survived the slugs), parsley and the thyme. The parsley is hanging on having needed to be transplanted out weeks ago. We’re hoping that the rainy weather and the sunshine will improve its chances:

I can’t tell you how much I am enjoying the garden. I think I probably started coming out each morning as a way to de-stress and take my mind off the worries with Charlotte’s health. What I found is a peace and an enjoyment which has taken me by surprise. It feels like a gift from God. And I feel very grateful ❤️