PERFECT

This has been a perfect day for me as I spent almost all of it in the garden. I was up early to get Pa ready for his appointment with the optician and managed to was my hair while he was waking up. Once he had gone I was free and I could not get outside fast enough. Warm sunshine greeted me and the pair of tame robins, my constant companions as I work.

An influx of visitors had left my sadly behind with my work and I needed to clear the forget-me-not bed and cultivate it ready to be planted up with Kale and more leeks for the winter. This was quite a big job which I would normally do over a period of several days, today I simply had to finish in one go. Pulling up the forget-me-nots was easy as they have very little root, dealing with the numerous us small frogs which came hopping out of every clump took longer. They are lovely little creatures and are a sure sign of a healthy garden but they are oh so slippery and transporting them to a safe haven in the strawberry patch took ages.

Once the frogs were safe I set about turning the soil with a special digging tool given to me some time ago by an old gardener who had used it for years. It would be true to say that without this amazing gadget I would be unable to dig at all. Having roughly dug the ground and removed the worst of the weeds. I took a break from digging and built an arch from some old bits and pieces, this will give support to a passion fruit which grows amongst the ivy on the old garden wall, also some rather splendid Logan Berries which we make in to a Liqueur for Christmas. I thought it looked rather bare at the moment and not terribly attractive and so I planted the front of the arch with pink sweet peas which will I hope cover the frame in no time and improve its appearance until such time as the passion fruit came make enough growth to cover it.

By this time I was getting tired and I decided to pot up some young plants, a nice easy job to do sitting down, as I filled my potting tray with compost I was hailed from the garden gate by a passing friend, this seemed like a good excuse to make a pot of tea so downed tools and went to put the kettle on. Pa was late getting back and I was just beginning to worry when he arrived home at last and joined us for tea and cake< by three our guest had departed and I was back in the garden feeling much better for the rest.

Potting up the small plants was a pleasure, I love the feel of the sturdy young seedlings and the anticipation of what they will became later in the year. Finally I watered in all the new plants, tied up the tomatoes which are growing fast and then after tidying my tools away I went in to make our evening meal.

We had decided to have a salad tonight and so I had picked a bowl of mixed leaves from the garden and a pretty bunch of multi coloured radishes, yellow, white red, red and white and deep purple, they made an attractive addition to our meal. Corned beef, cheeses. avocado and olives with sun dried tomatoes and coleslaw filled us up nicely and we only just had room for an iced cream to finish the meal.

Today my son visited the famous walled garden on Sark and from the eulogy he gave on its great charm and beauty I do not despair of turning him in to a gardener yet, it is in his blood you see.
The garden visit was followed by a hair raising cliff walk and them dinner, he is enjoying every moment of his holiday and is sleeping well at night, I expect that will be the fresh air.

With every one of my old bones aching I shall now take a long hot bath, followed by a hot drink and then as soon as Pa is tucked in for the night I shall turn in myself. I am happy with the days work and shall sleep all the better for knowing that the digging is finished and the planting out almost finished. Soon the jam making season will be upon us but until then, for a few days I can sit back and enjoy my lovely little world.