2024 - What I did today

For the last few days we've been watching the new neighbours massacre their garden. It's a bit like the Amazon rainforest burning relocated to Salisbury. The neighbours themselves are nice friendly people, their ideas though are a bit strange. They want their narrow 100m long garden to be just grass so have ripped out every tree, bush, hedge and flower bed. 30ft fir trees, (which I was very pleased to see the back of) mature yew, silver birch, apple, laburnum, forsythia, spindle, hawthorn, beech and goodness knows what from the natural hedge bordering one side. Definitely a scorched earth policy. They think because a tree is dormant it's dead. They also think that by cutting a bush/shrub down to the ground or thereabouts will stop it growing back, I think next spring will be a bit of an eye opener. Also they're considering grassing the area themselves. Not sure grass will grow over stumps. The upside is my gh gets light in the afternoon now, so not totally bad. We're watching developments with interest, it keeps us amused while the rain continues to fall.

I'm imaging an episode of "The Good Life" - they're Margo & Jerry which make you two, Barbara & Tom. Loved that series.

I'm imaging an episode of "The Good Life" - they're Margo & Jerry  which make you two, Barbara & Tom. Loved that series.

Me too, P would be in his element, he rather fancied Felicity Kendall, I'm better looking of course    but just as scatty.

Everybody rather fancied Felicity Kendall, JJB.

Yesterday was an unexpected dry day so I planted out potatoes: 18 Charlotte, 19 Maris Piper. I also planted out a load of onion seedlings (Globo), and on a whim I sowed some Early Nantes carrots in between them. It's risky because there's a lot of carrot fly in this area, but maybe the onions will distract the little blighters.

I'll sow some more carrots under enviromesh in a week or two, just in case.

We've got a decent period of showery mild weather in the forecast so this seems like a good time to crack on with planting in the dry spells.

Did a bit of raspberry topping and bramble lopping in between showers!
Now I'm waiting for the Fire Brigade - don't panic - nothing is alight!

Did a bit of raspberry topping and bramble lopping in between showers!
Now I'm waiting for the Fire Brigade - don't panic - nothing is alight!

The Fire men have been, in their brand spanking new Fire Engine.  They came to replace the 2 old smoke detectors that they fitted years ago.  This time they fitted 5 different alarms, 3 smoke, 1 heat and 1 carbon monoxide - all with 10 year batteries so I don't have to worry about replacing them. 
Its a FREE service and you know how much I like FREE.   If any of you don't have alarms, its worth contacting your local Fire Brigade.

Did a bit of raspberry topping and bramble lopping in between showers!
Now I'm waiting for the Fire Brigade - don't panic - nothing is alight!

The Fire men have been, in their brand spanking new Fire Engine.  They came to replace the 2 old smoke detectors that they fitted years ago.  This time they fitted 5 different alarms, 3 smoke, 1 heat and 1 carbon monoxide - all with 10 year batteries so I don't have to worry about replacing them. 
Its a FREE service and you know how much I like FREE.   If any of you don't have alarms, its worth contacting your local Fire Brigade.

Im sick of my smoke alarm going off as I grill (burn!)  a lot of meat. Also sometimes when I open the woodburner stove door to add some more wood it screeches at me!

My previous smoke alarms were in the hall and upstairs landing, with a carbon monoxide alarm near the woodburner. Now, they're all over the place, there's one in the kitchen and another in the utility room (off the kitchen) where the central heating boiler is and replacements in the hall/landing and for the woodburner alarm.
The firemen said that, when I burn the toast, (as if I would) to give the alarm a poke with a broom handle (as if I'm a witch).!!

Sown some sunflowers. Pricked out some rudbeckia & foxglove seedlings. Transferred some plants from bedroom window cill to the tunnel. Planted some pink honesty and a shrub I don’t know the name of . In place of the snap dragons that unsurprisingly didn’t come back this year. Although one did. Which is excellent. Re potted rosemary and mint “berries & cream”. Took some cuttings from the berries & cream.
Pruned, fed and top dressed my lemons, avocados, pomegranate & blood oranges . They already look happier being back in the tunnel.

Potted up some tomato seedlings, split the FREE supermarket pots of chives and parsley into 5 pots of each, potted up some rooted cuttings of supermarket basil.
Finished taking the sloping roof beams off the old chicken run so there's plenty of headroom. I know I'm short but I'm a bit more than 3' tall! I'll use the wood to edge some veg beds.
A good day for gardening.