The Year Ahead

I lost most of the pictures I took of the new garden so I quickly snapped these last Sunday - a dreary overcast morning.

They don't tell the whole story particularly the drain run and inspection chamber I unearthed in the previous owners vegetable patch. A bit naughty back filling and planting over these I think. I'll just cover that area with some containerised herb - mint and the like that I don't want spreading.

I cleared these beds and found many tiny Charlotte potatoes which made an excellent warm salad. Most of the beds are 6foot by 4foot so easy to work, in all about 180square foot of growing space. Still have to clear the dahlias.

I've never had one before so I'll experiment with green house growing. Any book on this topic that you'd especially recommend?

And a pond was not high on my wants list but having seen the insects, damsels and birds it attracts it  really is an addition to the garden! Don't worry - a pond net has since been bought! The fruit trees, quite old now, lanky and difficult to pick from are familiar - apples (Cox, I think), plum and damsons. I like their lichen covered bark.

And finally the strimmed area is a possible site for another vegetable area. But since I'm keeping the allotment on for another year I'll carefully trace the sun through the season to be sure there is enough to grow decent veg. The tree and hedge roots I'll combat (optimistically) by growing in raised beds. All the work involved...... Now where's the corkscrew?

Comments

[Joanna]

Funny how there are always more potatoes, even when you think you've dug them all up ;)

I'd be very interested in knowing what others recommend for a greenhouse book ... apart from Dr Hessayon, which would probably be a good place to start

I don't have a pond, they seem like a lot of work, despite all the benefits. But a friend has found that a bale of straw gets rid of most of the pondweed. Amazing

Joanna