Preparing for Spring

Crocus now in flower

I've been making the most of the sunshine today and Saturday.

Today I planted five seed potatoes in a bag, they are a variety of first earlies call the Duke of York and a bit on the small side, so hopefully five won't be too many. I also put in some narcissus, crocus and iris bulbs I didn't get round to planting in the Autumn.

On Saturday I started to tackle a flowerbed we look onto from the dining room, which has got rather weedy and straggly. It's going to be quite a few hours' work to clear it.  Hubby dug the remains of a large red hot poker out for me as best he could as it is growing under some stones.  There are two more red hot pokers that need severely chopping so that they can also be dug out and a mahonia and a japonica, which are not right for that bed, which need similar treatment.  There are also quite a few brambles and a smothering of wild strawberries.

There suddenly seems a lot to do in the garden to get it ready for the onset of Spring.


There are signs of Spring all over the garden, with Winter heather and crocus in flower and the garlic I planted about a month ago up already along with the Autumn onions I planted late October or early November. I'm now waiting for signs of the broad beans I planted a couple of weeks ago.

Garlic shoots