Friday, March 26, 2010

as I sit shivering....

the days get longer and more welcome colour appears. when it was bitterly cold weather it did not seem so bad as the sun was shining. now the rain and wind are turning our higher temperatures (8 C) into a damp, cold, miserable spring time.
these little daffodils are about 6 inches high, very dainty and out earlier than the bigger varieties.
dinky little things.
and the hellebores have flowered, they looked practically dead with no buds but have very quicly responded to the rise in temperature.
funny how hellebores always nod their heads down ways, turning them up shows such beauty.
nothing much doing outside in the veggy plots, they wer turned over and covered in home compost at the end of last year, just this front one to finish off. I kept aggravating my back so did a little at a time, it all gets done eventually.
onions coming up in the greenhouse.
good germination from a three year old packet of brussels sprout seeds, I sprinkled the whole lot out so lots of pinching out to do here, I'll wait till they are a wee bit bigger and then add the pinched ones to the top of a salad...waste not want not. the greenhouse temperature gauge showed 0C to 24C, what a difference for the poor wee things to have to cope with, wish I had auto windows, or didn't have to work and I could stay home and open and close the door as necessary.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

splashes of colour

very unkempt garden awaiting much weeding.......little splashes of colour appear..
these are so beautiful, I always forget they are there until they appear...
Smokey Tiptoes, camoflage against the stones, she's getting fat! from prime ratter to fat house cat in one change of owner.....
the crocus are another splash of colour, there are a couple of groups of these, mostly I plant crocus and they are never seen again....my Mum gave me these bulbs.
and the Snow Flakes come out in their little hidden spot, right between the rowan and the compost bin.


Thursday, March 04, 2010

spring is not quite here....yet

wrapped up four seed trays of onions, planted a couple of days ago. they may be some time coming up...I usually do them round about christmas or new year.......onions may be small this year then! under the yellow wrap(old daffodil bag) are spring onions. there are also three small pots of carrots for an early treat off to the right. I think I might start tomatoes and some other things in the house now, its getting on in time(indeed it never stops and sometimes runs quick?)and I don't want things to be too far behind for the growing season. I also might put some potatoes in buckets into the greenhouse this weekend.
the greenhouse min/max themometer this morning showing a low of -5C and a high for yesterday of 18C, I did leave the greenhouse door open during yesterday and its open today. the only problem with manual opening and closing is that I will not be home from work till 10pm and it will be below freezing by then, the onion seeds will just have to cope.
its a stunning morning, went for a short ride on Abbey just to practise opening and closing gates. her bed, and night feed and hay, is all ready for Fiona to bring her in tonight.