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Jun. 13th, 2004
(no subject)
Jun. 13th, 2004 04:25 pmGardening today. I was thinking about driving out to Salisbury Cathedral but it's two hours plus in the car and by the time I had got up and showered and generally preened myself to a state just this side of gorgeousness, I decided the day, like me, was too far gone to support anything too energetic, so I opted for a spot of gardening instead.
Now, you must understand that my definition of gardening may differ from that normally understood by horticulturalists. I regard gardening as a very occasional pastime - I slash and burn my way through the encroaching brambles about twice a year. Although, to be fair, this year I have been slightly more active as earlier posts bear witness.Today I cleared a small bed that was overgrown with grass and winter jasmine (and brambles). I cleared the bed last year and planted it with lavenders, poppies and an acanthus but - unusually for me - I didn't buy enough plants to fill the whole bed so the bit left unplanted got overgrown with weeds etc. This was the bit I cleared.
It's not big - about three foot deep by five feet wide - but the soil (soil! Ha!) is clay rich and so had set to concrete hardness. Anyway, to cut long story short, I cleared it, dug it over, tipped in a giant bag of Eco-mix (organic soil improver) and headed to the garden centre.
I have this vision of a vegetable garden: neat rows of healthy peas clambering over sticks; ranks of runner beans; cohorts of courgettes etc etc. The reality will be somewhat different, I suspect. But I planted peas, french beans (I already have some runners in a pot), two Ogen melons, an aubergine, some nastursiums, some sweet peas and two garden mint plants. And yes - I know mint is supposed to be highly invasive and should only be planted in a reinforced pot surrounded by barbed wire, armed guards and savage dogs - but in my garden, it simply wilts and dies.
Anyway, I feel a sense of accomplishment that is most welcome. Hurrah!
Now, you must understand that my definition of gardening may differ from that normally understood by horticulturalists. I regard gardening as a very occasional pastime - I slash and burn my way through the encroaching brambles about twice a year. Although, to be fair, this year I have been slightly more active as earlier posts bear witness.Today I cleared a small bed that was overgrown with grass and winter jasmine (and brambles). I cleared the bed last year and planted it with lavenders, poppies and an acanthus but - unusually for me - I didn't buy enough plants to fill the whole bed so the bit left unplanted got overgrown with weeds etc. This was the bit I cleared.
It's not big - about three foot deep by five feet wide - but the soil (soil! Ha!) is clay rich and so had set to concrete hardness. Anyway, to cut long story short, I cleared it, dug it over, tipped in a giant bag of Eco-mix (organic soil improver) and headed to the garden centre.
I have this vision of a vegetable garden: neat rows of healthy peas clambering over sticks; ranks of runner beans; cohorts of courgettes etc etc. The reality will be somewhat different, I suspect. But I planted peas, french beans (I already have some runners in a pot), two Ogen melons, an aubergine, some nastursiums, some sweet peas and two garden mint plants. And yes - I know mint is supposed to be highly invasive and should only be planted in a reinforced pot surrounded by barbed wire, armed guards and savage dogs - but in my garden, it simply wilts and dies.
Anyway, I feel a sense of accomplishment that is most welcome. Hurrah!
(no subject)
Jun. 13th, 2004 11:43 pmSometimes you just need to listen to Never Mind the Bollocks rather loudly on headphones whilst watching the funky visualisation thingies. I used to pay good money for mind-bending effects like that.