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Work kind of blends from home and my own garden to my customers’ gardens at the moment.  At this time of year there’s so much to do everywhere.  And the weather always surprises me, even when its wet it still seems warm,  and of course that makes things grow, and that means work. Thank goodness I’m at my happiest when I’m out in the garden.

I’m writing lists or else I’ll forget what to do next, still things to sow in the vegetable garden, lots to cut back as the early perennials are going over and as for the weeds, well they’re loving it, then the greenhouse needs water every day, not to mention that its wedding season.  I’m quite impressed with the veggie patch though.  My second growing season but twice the size.  There’s still lots of rubbish in the ground though so I’ve got lots of potatoes again to keep clearing the ground.

This weekend I sowed some more spring onions, mixed leaves and radishes.   Love the lettuces I’m getting at the moment, they’re delicious and  we could have more broad beans than is entirely necessary.  Son isn’t exactly wild about them worst luck.

Then there are the 19 half  barrels I have littering the place.   They are an order for July and I’ve potted them all up with summer plants so they can fill out and I”m thankful for the rain we’ve had overnight lately.  Its saving me about half an hour of watering every evening.  They’re looking good but there’s a lot of ’em.

The first cucumber is almost ready to cut.   I’ve scaled down the number of plants I’ve grown this year, I think I grew 3 plants last year and I ended up pickling cucumbers and giving them away left right and centre.   However, they had such a great flavour, so much better than shop bought ones.

It sounds as though its all about veggies, but not quite.   This morning I made a corsage for myself.  A rare treat – I usually hand them over for someone else.   I was at a meeting and decided to advertise what I do by wearing it.      I think I might have to do it more often……..

Last year I cut down some sycamores and I made  a little pile of branches at the bottom of the garden promising myself that I’d turn them into rustic poles for fences, arches, who knew….lots of things.  But they sat there and sat there as things do.   However I just had to do something about the hens who could break into the flower beds no matter what I tried to keep them out.  They’d make fantastic escape artists those birds.  The final straw was the whole crew of them in the veggie plot – there were peas flying, lettuces disappearing and a big dust bath appearing in the middle of the onions.  Enough ladies, time to build a fence.

I was amazed to find that it wasn’t too difficult – and it was almost free, but very rustic.   Apart from a few screws here and there and the netting of course to fasten onto it, what a bargain.  We had to bash in the uprights which was the hardest part and it may not be here in 10 years, but it works perfectly for now.   It looks cottagey which was the plan, the hens are well and truly shut out although a bit miffed, and they still have acres to play in  and I’m happy.

I’ve planted one of my favourite roses to sramble all over it.  Veilchenblau is a ramber with prolific flowers.  Starting off quite purple it fades almost to pale grey.   It can be a bit of a monster if you let it get out of control and I suspect it may decide to take my fence with it but I’m happy to give it a go.  Its only a baby at the moment but watch this space.  And because I want mygarden to be informal I’ve planted into the side of the lawn where I’ve also put some iris to establish and some lavender.  Later I’ll put in some honeysuckle to climb over the fence from the other end and meet the rose in the middle to give a beautiful scented mix.

Here’s the first little rose that’s just come out as I’ve planted it.

On the hottest day of the year I put 3 tired but not too tatty little ex battery hens into the back of my van and drove them home.

I thought I was turning up to a distribution point where there would be 4000 hens and lots of potential owners….no, in fact there were several distribution points and the 4000 hens had been divvied up around the county,  so when I got to Goole it was just a handful of eager new adopters and a stable full of slightly flustered – but not panic stricken hens.  We each patiently waited and then we had to go in ad pick our hens.  I chickened out (!) and asked someone else to put mine into the dog cage I’d brought and then off I went.

What amazed me was how well they looked.  fairly decently feathered and pretty strong, but a bit pale.  However that’s because Elsie is really pink and laying, and that’s how they look when they’re laying (I didn’t know that 2 weeks ago!

It was so hot in that van and they were so quiet.   It was only a half hour journey but I was pretty worried by the silence in the back.   Thank goodness they were just sitting panting.   I hoisted them out and sort of coralled them into the back yard where it was shady, put out a bowl of water and some food,  and out they came.

Before you knew it they were being inquisitive and poking about, not looking for the water but checking out the plants and having a bash at the heather and having a scratch and a dig. 

They don’t look to bad at all and they are quickly discovering the things that chickens do when they get the chance.  And remarkably they will let me pick them up – with a bit of clucking but still I can get hold of them but not Elsie,  no way.

Currently they’re in bed and I think they’re sorting out the pecking order.   There have been a couple of kerfuffuls but nothing too horendous.   As for Elsie, well she’s not sure what to think.   It’s been a difficult day.   First of all there are 3 other hens to deal with but secondly she’s had her wings clipped.   She was just getting a bit too clever as an escape artist and she might not like it but she’s going to be safer for it.

I’m hoping it’ll soon be quiet, and then we’ll see what tomorrow brings

This morning when I opened the shed a wren flew out…. humm, cute, but unusual.
Then my son arrived to finish off the chicken house – I am so excited about getting chickens and he had nearly finished yesterday but today it’s done and so I’ve given it one coat of a nice paint.
Then I came back into the house and heard fluttering – I don’t like trapped birds and I just knew that there must be one in the house. Sure enough there it was – a baby starling brought in by a cat I suppose, unhurt thank goodness, but I had to get it out somehow, so I summoned up my courage and wafted it out of the French windows. Thank goodness it went out quite easily, I remember having to summon help from the milkman years ago when a blackbird got trapped in the kitchen and went into panic mode.
Fine – but back in the shed I could have sworn I saw the wren again – and on closer inspection what is in the shed? A nest! So now what? Do I tiptoe around until the babies are hatched or can I go into the shed again? Well apparently, my neighbour who knows everything about birds says it’ll either get used to me or clear off, so to carry on as normal. Not sure about that but I need to get in and out so Mr & Mrs Wren we’re going to have to try to make friends.
So off I went out for a couple of hours and came home to paint the hen house. Half way through that same neighbour asked me if I’d like a hen. Well of course I’d love a hen! His hens had been fighting and Elsie (for that is her name) was coming off worst, because his other hen had baby chicks and was defending her corner.
So here’s the house – you can’t see Elsie yet because she needs to come to terms with her new home, but she is in there. I am told that with luck at the weekend she can come out for a look at her new garden, but for now she’s in the shed, with her corn and her water and that’s her lot. How fab!