Dorset Garden Diary - The Pain is Worth It...Almost!

The start of this blog is similar to the start of the previous one - I've hurt my back gardening! This time it was watering the plants. I know I should've used the hose and taken it easy, but I decided to use the water butts and the watering cans. Result??? I've put my back out again. The problem is my head doesn't realise my body is twenty years older than it thinks it is!!

I've been out there for a couple of hours today putting in the French beans, weeding, watching the sparrows bathe in the bird bath and being serenaded by blackbirds. I have taken it easy...honestly.

The veg beds are coming on - garlic, assorted onions, lettuce, edamame beans, radishes, kale, carrots and dill

 

Peas, kale, beetroot, radishes, courgettes and dwarf French beans plus marigolds to keep the black fly away (hopefully)

 

The courgette I'm growing in a pot is already producing, it's way ahead of the two in the veg bed - I thought it would be the other way round.



And the spuds (early charlottes and pentland javelin) have put on a spurt - it's amazing how much they've grown since my previous blog.

All of the above are doing well because I've been watering them as we've not had any significant rain for over a week so, in a way, I've suffered for my art!

The sweet potatoes (beaureguard) arrived

these are now potted up and hardening off. It's the first time I've grown them.

And the rest is colour in the garden, starting with the red and white azaleas which need to be re-potted this year as they're looking a bit sorry for themselves

The For Your Eyes Only rose has flowered (him indoors' favourite)

In the cottage garden we have poppies in the making

and a delphinium that I know I haven't planted, but I'm glad it's here

the gladioli are looking a treat, as always

another of him indoors' favourites is the Ena Harkness rambling rose

The irises took me by surprise as they were hiding behind the lilac tree

and the dwarf lilac is looking good this year, this will also need re-potting for next year - pretty

The geums are doing better this year (they didn't like last year's drought conditions)

The antirrhiniums are, quite frankly, stunning

And finally, the pond. I've trimmed back the grass as it was dragging in the water.

It looks like the new fencing is working regarding the heron and it does look better than the netting. I've noticed the tadpoles have changed shape, they still have their tails but their bodies have developed and they look bigger than last year.

Well that's it for this week, the weather for the week ahead looks dry and warmish. Hopefully next time I blog I will be ailment free. Enjoy your gardening.