What have you done today in the Garden?

Sjoerd, I haven't even been enjoying most of what I removed. You know, sir, it seems a lot easier to up-size than it is to down-size. Why is that? Well, partly the 25 years I've been gardening here.

If I look at it as editing, it's much easier to decide. That goes for house-cleaning, too. Losing weight, I emptied two closets and a dresser. I don't need much any more. I have several big furniture items to find new owners for too. It's a good thing.

The garden should be fun and discovery and joy. That's what it is, but I want to make it easier and more fun, and less difficult work. Plus, I'm less able than when things were upsizing. And the climate is making it more challenging too.

Typical for me, I overdid things and obsessed too much on growing everything I could. Im happier now with less but I hope, better.

 

No gardening today, after the "severe weather" warning given by the BBC for all areas last night.


Well, it wasn't quite that.

I often refer to our location as "The Tropic of Trafford," as the weather is mostly mild, we are protected by hills on three sides.

So this is what we got last night.


An inch and a half of snow.








The sky is overcast, but the air is still and the temperature is slightly above freezing.

Already the snow is starting to melt.

 

Riley— it is strange to see your garden area with snow all over it. It is attractive that was as well.

Daniel— I know what you mean about the downsizing. It can be difficult, but once you find a “logic”, things fall quicker into place. You discovered that.

With the gardening, we do not downsize because our garden plot is already small. Haha. However, we are constantly changing methods and crop and flower types.

I recall when we began, we tried all the gardening things we could…also all the plant and crop sorts we could. Now we have quadrants and rotate our veg properly. We still try new techniques and types, but it is scaled back…not so far as to loose our interest though.

Mate, you always do such good work. Anything that makes your hobby easier is worth it.

 

Nothing today it's been snowing.

 

Been doing the normal rounds checking for pasture critters. All clear.

DHR Your garden is just as pretty with snow and thru every season .

@Daniel W Down sizing doesn’t happen over night for me either. It’s been a long term process. It takes time to adjust and retrain a life style . Life is full of adjustments. I think you’re way too hard on yourself. It’s ok to obsess, it’s a normal emotion especially when green thumbs and plants are involved. It’s a very special talent you have, so enjoy it while you can.

Heck I’ve been downsizing for years and I’m still there just a bit older and wiser…I think..it takes a lot baby steps. I don’t know any woman my age that can do what I do while maintaining my garden. Keeps me in shape while also accepting my limitations. Mindfulness comes into play and I let it go , constant perfection leaves slowly while letting nature take its course. It’s amazing see.

I have built a ‘Monster’ over the years with garden plants. This climate we live in is crucial with creating a plant friendly environment it’s not obsession really ..” We are ‘ Plant collectors”, ‘Experimenters’, where curiosity is the driving force. Some days the garden monster is true . Until spring comes . “The season of triumph “ , when blooming trees, shrubs perennials bursts into flames , it makes my heart sing and it’s all worth the effort.

I guess green thumbs was something I was born with and didn’t utilize it till later in life when life adjustments became necessary. I finally found my calling.

 

Well, your green thumbs are remarkable. You have done such a great job with your grounds. Is there anything that you cannot do?

 

Today I did more work on the garden paths. There is a lot more to do. About 1/3 was growing stuff before, but too crowded. Some of the rest was broken down, allowing for weed growth.

When that end of the garden is completed, I should take a break.

With rearranging things a bit, now an oak half-wine barrel planter was in the way. I must have been growing things in it for 25 years. Too heavy to move, I was just going to leave it in that awkward spot. But I noticed the wood has become pretty rotted, and pulled some away. It fell completely apart. So I can dig out the soil, a shovel at a time. Then it's gone. Perfect!

I pruned the David Austin roses in the vegetable garden. Next, they'll get dug out and replanted.

What a mild winter. So far.

 

We have ice and sleet today, so no garden work here.

I did get that zipper in my garden coat replaced. And a friend stopped by for a bit today.

I ordered more seeds today for rhubarb, yarrow and a book to read. The book is The Dead Sea Scrolls in English.

I did do a bit of "downsizing" this week inside. I gave some things to friends who wanted or needed them.

 

Snow's mostly gone, just traces on the lawn, as there was more rain last night. Roads are completely clear.

 

Hubby got me a bag of compost to sow some seeds in a few weeks time.

 

Those sound like interesting seeds. I had rhubarb that I grew from seeds. Then I bought my current house. It had a big rhubarb clump, with stems that were very red, thick, juicy, and sweet / tart. I don't know the variety. It was in a difficult place, so I took starts from it. They are almost ready for harvests.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are an interesting topic. I've read about them, but have not read them.

 

My resolution for the day was to do planting, instead of the ongoing and sometimes tedious garden infrastructure stuff (rebuilding raised bed, removing weeds such as blackberries, installing paths and arborist chips). So, I did something I was sort of dreading but at the same time, wanted completed. I dug up the two English Roses (David Austin Roses, Silas Marner and Vanessa Bell) from their containers, pruned them a bit better, and replanted them into somewhat smaller, moveable containers.

The problem with where they were, was they were in 37 gallon containers, too heavy to even think about moving. They were located where my peach tree drooped and shaded them too much. They were hidden, not easy to care for and enjoy.

Now, they are in a 25 gallon and a 20 gallon container. The roots didn't fill more than about 1/4 of the previous container volume anyway. Heavy but now I can slide them around or put them on caster dollies. At the moment they are on two-layers of 2 x 6's, so I can slide them onto dollies later.

These will be easy to sit on the deck or patio in Spring.

I think the Vanessa Bell is four years old. It had an excellent root system, despite the bad location. It was in heavy soil, so I washed off the old soil to bare roots, and replanted in a lighter, well draining potting mix. The Silas Marner was in good potting soil already, so I reused it.

Job done!