If I Can Do It...

So it's been half term blah blah, and I have been busy out and about in Betty with Husband and the boys. I have also spent lots of time in the garden. I have been busy potting on, tying in, planting out and generally wandering around in awe of the little oasis of pleasure that I have created with very little experience. The more I do, the braver I become.

I am planning a new flower bed for next year which will hopefully have colour right through from Spring to Autumn. I am learning that you do need to plan a little. Just going into a garden centre and being seduced by all an sundry, doesn't necessarily give you colour all year round.

I am thinking of buying two dwarf apple trees, because the garden can't accommodate anything bigger. When I was growing up there was an apple tree at the bottom of the garden, so it's a nod to nostalgia for me. I am thinking of adding more fruit canes, specifically gooseberries and blueberries. I have this fantasy about stepping outside and picking fruit for breakfast.....

The garden is starting to buzz with insects, and the flowers are slowly producing their blooms. My two wild flower patches (inspired by Sarah Raven's programme earlier in the year) are almost ready to burst forth with poppies, ox eye daisies, cornflowers, sunflowers to name but a few.

Sadly the Flag Iris had to go this weekend. It was clogging the small but perfectly formed nature pond. The pond didn't seem to mind so much, although the frogs, toads and newts were a bit miffed to be up-ended onto the decking. Olly was fascinated by all these creatures. A big "WOW" went out to the newt we put back into the pond.

My next step is to take cuttings and grow them on for next year. It feels like a daunting step, but I thought the same about growing veg from seed a couple of years back, and now I collect my own seed from my own veg without a care in the world!!

Anyway - pictures. Make the right noises please. I'm very precious about my little patch.

Husband made the raised beds for me a couple of years ago. I have packed them to the gills this year. Lots of the good stuff I bought on a whim at Morrisons!!

My new flower bed in which I am trying to grow an assortment of cottagey plants - Delphiniums, Pinks, Scabious, Foxgloves. There are some Dahlias in there too. I bought loads half price from Wyevale, and they have all grown like mad. I can't wait to see them in full glory...

Once upon a time, this was going to be a herb bed. It still is - Rosemary, French Tarragon, Chives, Thyme, Sage, Mint etc but there are also loads of plants coming up. My problem is that I never made notes and so I've no idea what is there. You can just glimpse Husband's office, which is now a pretty shade of blue, festooned with Union Jack bunting.

Fushias. Love them. I've got loads scattered about the place. Last forever.

Three different Marguerite that I bought for next to nothing at Trevaskis Farm.

A beautiful Clematis that I bought from Morrisons for £1.79. I've put it in a large pot, and it's flowering for the second time.

Windflowers or aAenomes. I adore this colour so much. I can't stop looking at it when I'm in the garden. You can just see Stocks and Cornflowers too.