ALL MUCK IS DUST

and, I suppose all flesh is grass - cows eat grass, we eat cows, or if one does not eat meat drink milk, eat butter or if a vegan - er? - eat grass?
Anyway so it is true in a way that all flesh is grass.
Having said that we are near drought in the garden and it is so dry the soil is becoming dusty despite the oodles of muck I dumped on it. Blackbirds throw the stuff around searching for food and make a mess. It is no good sweeping it up, the wind just blows it back.
Yesterday I had a stick collecting session and then contemplated having a bonfire but all is tinder dry and we might have had to have a fire engine as well - so no fire.

THE MOWER HAS BEEN OUT! - first cut, just a top trim and what a difference it makes. We have a garden again.
Last year, in March, I blogged about the bluebells being out early! Now the daffodils are struggling to flower in April. I hope there is someone in North Africa warning the swallows to put on their wooly comb's.

R has been dividing and transplanting the snowdrops. 'I will leave it to you to decide where would be best,' I said, and so she put them in at the bottom of the top banking, just where I mow. Keep thy mouth shut, lad, I said to missel', now you will have to put off mowing that bit till July so the bulbs can fatten up.

There are some primroses out but only a few.

Black stuff is laid on the veg beds to warm them up, exclude light, alkathene hoops adorn the rows, plants in pots fill the cold frame waiting for warmer soil.


I am having some difficulties with the septic tank soak away - I know septic tanks are not the most appealing of subjects but . . .


Where the soak away lies under the stream, the water has decided that the slotted pipe underneath would be a better route than down the stream bed. So the bottom half of the stream is dry and water emerges in the ditch by the lower hedge.
I will need to sort out the bed and line it with pond liner or some such I think. I could just let the water go into the pipe and fill in the dry part of the stream but if it rains a lot there would be an overflow and trouble on t' lawn.




The drain away is thirty yards below the tree with the nest box in the photograph. That is a reconditioned box as the top came off. A bit of sawn off fencing plank end was just the job. Notice the metal plate around the entrance to keep the woodpeckers at bay.

The hills in the distance are the Forest of Bowland across Morecambe Bay. I am rambling, (big surprise! What a change!)


Last year was real struggle with the sweet peas and someone suggested plugs - but they are expensive so, maybe.
I will finish with a withering comment about brown fingers - probably just bad gardening and laziness - but a friend has a big veg plot in a field (you know who you are D J) and he said, 'Slugs, what slugs?'
WHAT SLUGS!! I can probably lend you some, buckets full, unless this cold snap has set them back. (Image of gardener on his knees in the veg plot praying.)