Garden plans!

Day 51

Keith and I had to pop to Tesco today to get some bits for my Mum and Dad. The weather was gorgeous and the car temperature was registering 19c! Probably not accurate, but it was great to see, and it's still only February!

We dropped the bag off, waved to my Mum from the car and then dropped into Costa on the way home as I fancied a coffee and something for breakfast. I am mightily fed up with toast! I chose a Flat White and a chocolate and almond croissant, which was delicious, and something I wouldn't normally go for. Keith and I sat in the car while I enjoyed my late breakfast, enjoying the sunshine and the warm breeze.

Back home I suggested to Keith that we cut down the trees in the back garden as they had grown enormously since last year. My poor husband had to balance on a ladder with heavy-duty pruning shears, a saw, and an electric saw to get rid of the tall branches. While he lopped them I gathered up all the wood and either cut it down or stored it behind the garage. Last year I made a little pile of branches for wildlife to shelter in, and I might do the same again this year.

It was lovely working in the sun, although it did cloud over a bit towards lunchtime. The robin was around a lot and was singing away in the trees, so that was lovely to hear. He's a bit more skittish than the other robins we've had over the years but he likes to be about if we're digging or clearing away weeds! Keith also cut back some bushes to give the grass a chance to grow and when it gets a bit warmer I'm planning on putting some grass seed down to cover the bare patches in the lawn.

We filled our own garden bin completely and then ventured down into the gravel garden to see what was happening down there. I wish we hadn't! Our Virginia Creeper was in a real sorry state and I think it's half-dead from where Keith cut it down a couple of years ago. He made a start on pulling it down and it didn't take long!

We agreed that as I will probably be off for the whole of March, we would sort this area out and tidy it up. If our plans for the kitchen go ahead, we will need to take down the trellis-work anyway (to make way for the new window), and I think the clematis has also had it. The Virginia Creeper and the Honeysuckle entwined within it have gone mad, and have taken over the end part of the garden so I think it's time for a change, and maybe a new seat so we can sit out here and enjoy the sunshine. The seat is rotten so that will definitely have to go!

I would like to get it cut down a bit, and maybe put some more gravel down to make it look better. It's wild down there!

The sky clouded over in the afternoon, and Sophie came home at lunchtime, which was a bonus. She arrived just before we went to get Mike, and he was covered in mud again. He seemed very fed up with the work they're having to do which isn't greenskeeping at all, but more like hard manual labour.

In the afternoon I was delighted to receive my 2013 blog book from the publisher. This time it was perfect!