2025 - What I did today

Carried the "blowaway box" into the GH - not certain what was inside it! There was a new cover for a small blowaway (from Wilko - so I was right about that). Also a cover for a much larger blowaway - BUT the bits and pieces of metal in the box were just leftovers from previous blowaways. Not enough to build anything with! I had a large blowaway frame sitting around in the garden so I moved that into the GH. The New large cover fitted it with a bit of headroom to spare. Unfortunately, I've lost the wire shelves for the frame. I have one, but there are 4 missing. I scrounged some wire shelves from a smaller frame which will be enough to support a couple of seed trays on two shelves. I'm sure I'll be able to bodge something together for the other shelves. Not needed immediately as I don't have any seedlings to protect in there!

Managed to do a bit of raking in Veg Plot 1 (the old pond) and turned some of the heaps of composting grass and weeds elsewhere.
Went to the local garden centre in the afternoon - to buy a Diary. Had a meander round the garden centre which should be renamed as Christmas Tat Centre. Not a single packet of seeds in site - a few half price bulbs and lots of cyclamen, poinsettias and trees. They did have some amaryllis bulbs which were coated in wax. Apparently they need no potting up or aftercare . Just stick them on the shelf and watch them grow. Didn't seem natural to me so I left them.
I didn't come away empty handed though - I retrieved a small square, blue flowerpot from the pile of pots and trays for recycling.
Tonight's the night I write up my 2026 Diary - the one that tells me what to do each day.

Managed to do a bit of raking in Veg Plot 1 (the old pond) and turned some of the heaps of composting grass and weeds elsewhere.
Went to the local garden centre in the afternoon - to buy a Diary. Had a meander round the garden centre which should be renamed as Christmas Tat Centre. Not a single packet of seeds in site - a few half price bulbs and lots of cyclamen, poinsettias and trees. They did have some amaryllis bulbs which were coated in wax. Apparently they need no potting up or aftercare . Just stick them on the shelf and watch them grow. Didn't seem natural to me so I left them.
I didn't come away empty handed though - I retrieved a small square, blue flowerpot from the pile of pots and trays for recycling.
Tonight's the night I write up my 2026 Diary - the one that tells me what to do each day.

With the number of 'plans' you have going atm, it'll take you a year to write it all down. 

A bit of weeding/raking out of ivy before it rained.
Dug up a Mashua tuber and replanted the root end in the Free Flower pot I acquired a couple of days ago! I do have plenty of other pots but this was a pretty shade of blue.

Chopped down brown. Dug out some tall phlox and sedums. Found some grape hyacinth and bluebells that were instantly binned. Planted a purple perennial wallflower (can't spell the proper name). That released a nice purple plastic pot into which I transplanted a very young crazy daisy. Paul cut conifers to fill the green bin.

A few hours of chopping down raspberries, pulling up ivy and brambles, snapping twigs and branches that have fallen off next door's ashtrees and my oak trees. Just good to be outside in the sun again.

Most of the morning turned into a repeat of yesterday (chopping down raspberries and cutting up brambles). The main difference being that it was in another part of the garden. Every little helps!

Just a bit of tidying in the garden than a bit of tidying in my car as its going for its MOT tomorrow. Fingers crossed. I'm expecting to need 2 new tyres on the front as I had an advisory last year. My neighbour has a garage and will be taking it for its MOT. He;ll put new tyres on if necessary..

Shopping for me today. I was after a frozen three bird roast for Crimbo. None at Aldi, none at Morries so had to settle for a cheap turkey and stuffing joint (£6.99 at Lidl) Just me and Kato for Christmas lunch,even though I was invited to my Daughters. I always feel I am imposing on their family get together so would rather just spend it with Kato. (I may even get him to pull a cracker with me?)  Also bought some frozen roasties and cheap Yorkies. It's only once a year, thank goodness!

I was like a lost soul today. Too wet to do anything outside and without a car to go picking up freebies/shopping. The good news is - my car passed its MOT and didn't need new tyres. Tomorrow, I'll be back in "business" .