The suggestions box is filling up - S thinks I ought to have a day off, G thinks I should chuck the scythe and use a brush cutter, (I have got a blood blister on my left hand - should have worn gloves), R (the spouse) thinks I should make her a cup of tea, the painters think this house is bigger than they thought when they made their quote (I made that one up they have not complained at all), (in fact, since they came we seem to have avoided the rain and I had to water the pots this morning). My son suggested I was too fat. My wife suggested I was too fat. R found advice on taking hydrangea cuttings so 8 in the shed waiting to root (I hope). She also found advice regarding cutting them so the do not collapse - fill a sink and soak the heads in the water. We then cut the stems under water and so far so good.
As I have said the pond liners are here but I have covered them up because the under liner, if it got wet, would be so heavy . . . !
To get the sit on mower out of the shed I have a crude ramp but it has gone rotten and the poor thing is trapped! (Am I sad - I am not sure.)
Back to the brush cutter (a fancy name for a strimmer with the metal blade on the end) - I have started it and sharpened it and am still putting off using it - strimmerphobia? Anyway I have to go and get some petrol - it is a 2 stroke so a petrol oil mix is in order. Perhaps I should get an electric one, at least one with a press button start - or a gardener.
In the end got the small mower out and hacked the banking into submission with toads of assorted sizes scattering before me.
The rooks have gone to the fields again so the buzzards are back wheeling and sitting in the tall trees - unpestered. I wish they would eat the pigeons.
Aspects of the top banking -
Our sole exotic flower - I have carefully cloned out the washing line pole from this image.
Banking colours are yellow, orange, blue and purple. Above are brachyglottis, catmint (nepeta) and Alchemilla.
There are also drifts of crocosmia - mainly orange and yellow, the red Lucifer is elsewhere. These clumps are getting a bit big and need sorting (one day).
In this last image the predominant plants apart from the crocosmia are a blue shrubby clematis and Perovskia "Blue Spire".
The other day R and I went up to Blackwell, a local Arts and Crafts House, to look at an exhibition of Scottish design (good) and some Bernard Leach pottery (a bit disappointing). Now Gary P our pond designer and garden advisor did some of the garden there and there is lots of Perovskia. Easy to grow - just cut it back hard in February and it comes again - at least that is what I do. (And I haven't killed it off yet.)
A garden is nothing without a shed or sheds, well it is but not as nice - I think - but when we were up in Scotland in the spring we found this by the sea made of driftwood and flotsam and jetsam.
I know - you think I do not know the difference but I do (looked it up). Flotsam is stuff floating after a boat/ship sinks, jetsam is stuff chucked overboard.
Now I know some of you would like to jetsam me and my rambling but because of my preponderance of adipose tissue I might float, be washed up on some distant shore and return to haunt you with another blog.
So I will just stick with this blog.
Tea time.
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