(no subject)

[llywela]

Garden is as ready as it is going to get for the builders to start work tomorrow (landlady said she would be in touch to confirm ETA but hasn't been, so I guess they could turn up at any time). Refugee plants and their temporary pots have been squeezed in everywhere I could find room - crowded onto the patio, jammed in down the alley at the side of the house, squished in out the front, and all tucked up in the topmost corner of the lawn. I haven't had to farm any out to my parents, which is good, although depending on what the builders say when they get here, that could still happen. I'm hoping they won't need that corner of the lawn for their gear and materials!

Work should take about a week or so, I'm told. And then my Garden Recovery Plan (Phase 1) can swing into action!

The Garden Recovery Plan (Phase 1) goes like this:

Step 1: Mow the lawn and trim the edges, flipping heck, I am desperate to do this, it has been an entire season!
Step 2: Dig over the stricken flower bed to loosen up soil compacted by builders' boots and remove any lingering rubble. Also remove weeds that've been taking advantage.
Step 3: Add a layer of fresh (peat free) top soil.
Step 4: Add a layer of (peat free) compost, to give everything a needed boost after all the trauma.
Step 5: Be prepared for next door's cat to consider this an open invitation to make use of this enormous new litter tray with merry abandon.
Step 6: Have fun trying to decide which plant should go where, since I have this opportunity to redesign.
Step 7: Re-plant upward of 150~200 plants in the ground at long last!
Step 8: Water everything in thoroughly.
Step 9: Breathe a sigh of relief.
Step 10: Sweep down the patio and re-arrange permanent pots, now that they no longer have to share space with all the refugees. Some of these are still living with the damage of the wall collapsing on top of them, so there may be some re-potting to do at this stage. At least, having emptied so many (begged, borrowed and bought) pots back into the ground, I will have plenty to choose from!
Step 11: Collapse in a heap and congratulate myself on a job well done.
Step 12: Start thinking about Garden Recovery Plan (Phase 2), which is all about the devastated lawn and contains rather more native wildflowers than it does grass...