It has been the long week of opposites; four days of absolutely enforced relaxing in Alicante one minute followed by a non-stop week at work coupled with four busy days of home alone time as the lovely boyf literally got off one plane and onto another. I wasn't going to write anything those first four days - it would have meant putting down the Mango Mojito ;o) - and couldn't have, not for want of trying, the next four. Then, come the weekend, when all I really wanted to do was put the other half of the corset together, take lots of photos and tell everyone about it, the Leaning Tower of Laundry and ironing stared balefully at me for the ironing board...
I duly abandoned all attempts at crafty creating and the ironing of shirt sleeves and trousers that it would necessitate, and took myself out into the garden instead. The weather might not be Alicantesque, but the sky is blue and its not so cold that you can't enjoy working up a little sweat. Plus, there was a tree to move and, as you can see, it is a riot - clearly something is enjoying our cooler, wetter summer and, when it looks as pretty as this, I'm not complaining.
Ok, we're not quite at pretty yet, more green, but the flowers are all so close to blooming, I can see the potential for "really beautiful" already.
On the other side of the garden, the fruits are looking really good too. I have (never having grown anything fruity but strawberries before) been wondering what baby apples and blueberries look like and was a bouncy child when I spotted them last week. The apple tree, in particular, is looking very fruitful (pardon the pun)... it is genuinely exciting!
And my experiments are continuing nicely, two Pak Choi and the celery are growing well. I started off two more Pak Choi this morning, it seems a waste to throw the bases away now, when you know you can so easily just grow more.
The big jobs of the weekend where trimming the Laurel (we can walk under it now) and moving the tree in front of the Sky dish. After three years of work, the Laurel and I though are now reaching an understanding, it was in such bad shape when we moved in and I had no idea about what I was doing, but I've learnt a lot and it seems to be responding. It doesn't threaten to fall over anymore and this years is also full of bird nests, which is a delight to see. The tree that I moved was a moving in present from my Dad - one of his experiments :o) - we think it may be a Japanese Peach tree... He wasn't sure if it would do very well so I planted it out and left it alone; my favourite, tried and tested, gardening technique! It was only when the Sky man said "move it" that I noticed just how tall it had grown. So move it I did and have decided to try it in a the old Victorian tin bath. I wouldn't want to leave it behind if we ever moved. The bath had a side drainage hole, which I removed the cap of, and have lined with good layer of gravel at the bottom. It should work nicely and drain enough to keep the soil from getting too damp. The soil the tree came out of was so dry that the roots were practically soil free when I lifted it out. I have planted the tree in new compost but, if anything, I don't want to give it too much "good" after it's previous living conditions.
Once it's settled I'll trim it into a better shape and keep my fingers crossed for some flowers and maybe some signs of fruit next year.
Next job is to get painting inside the greenhouse and finish that off. The tomatoes and mints are doing nicely in there though; our mad little idea looks like it might just work.
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