Garden Wars

Last summer I moved to a ground floor flat with garden access - the 'garden' being a concreted area behind the houses (three houses converted into flats) before you get to the car park. This meant I could take proper care of my pots, in which I grow herbs (and a buddleia that planted itself, but that's a different story).

Behind my new flat is a 4x3 brick planter, which had been neglected for god knows how long, so my landlord agreed that I could adopt it. Last week at the Flower Show I bought a load of plants to put in it (including a baby fuchsia called Phyllis who will have to live in my kitchen for a few more weeks until the weather is mild enough for her, as she hasn't been hardened up yet - again another story) and on Saturday my mother and little sister helped me dig over the planter, fill it with fresh new compost, and plant it up.

Two days later, I am at war. Firstly, with my friendly neighbourhood cats. Now, I like cats. One of my friendly neighbourhood ones comes to visit me most days and I call her Izzy, lacking as I do any other way of knowing who she really is. But now I have a 'garden' of sorts the war is on. The cats keep trying to dig up my nice new plants. I have invested in pepper dust. Hopefully this will keep them off.

The other problem is slugs. I'm still researching ways of humanely keeping them from chomping all my bedding plants before they've had a chance to bloom. Bah. I'm turning into my mum!

Garden Wars

Last summer I moved to a ground floor flat with garden access - the 'garden' being a concreted area behind the houses (three houses converted into flats) before you get to the car park. This meant I could take proper care of my pots, in which I grow herbs (and a buddleia that planted itself, but that's a different story).

Behind my new flat is a 4x3 brick planter, which had been neglected for god knows how long, so my landlord agreed that I could adopt it. Last week at the Flower Show I bought a load of plants to put in it (including a baby fuchsia called Phyllis who will have to live in my kitchen for a few more weeks until the weather is mild enough for her, as she hasn't been hardened up yet - again another story) and on Saturday my mother and little sister helped me dig over the planter, fill it with fresh new compost, and plant it up.

Two days later, I am at war. Firstly, with my friendly neighbourhood cats. Now, I like cats. One of my friendly neighbourhood ones comes to visit me most days and I call her Izzy, lacking as I do any other way of knowing who she really is. But now I have a 'garden' of sorts the war is on. The cats keep trying to dig up my nice new plants. I have invested in pepper dust. Hopefully this will keep them off.

The other problem is slugs. I'm still researching ways of humanely keeping them from chomping all my bedding plants before they've had a chance to bloom. Bah. I'm turning into my mum!

Gwŷl Calon Mai

Ah. This is how bank holidays should always be.

Today I went down to the Bay for the Gwŷl Calon Mai (May Day Festival) and it was fantastic - a real carnival atmosphere, with samba bands and dancing, stalls of every description, and bright sunshine for most of the day. Fantastic.

I also took the water bus out to the barrage and spent far too long staring in fascination at the boats going in and out of the sea lock. It is amazing how interesting it is, given how boring it sounds.

Saus and mash for lunch before the boat trip, then later on afternoon tea with chocolate cake at the Norwegian Church on the waterfront, and then Cadwaladers ice cream on the jetty before returning home.

And it only rained once (while I was on the barrage) - sunny and warm most of the day.

Fantastic.

Gwŷl Calon Mai

Ah. This is how bank holidays should always be.

Today I went down to the Bay for the Gwŷl Calon Mai (May Day Festival) and it was fantastic - a real carnival atmosphere, with samba bands and dancing, stalls of every description, and bright sunshine for most of the day. Fantastic.

I also took the water bus out to the barrage and spent far too long staring in fascination at the boats going in and out of the sea lock. It is amazing how interesting it is, given how boring it sounds.

Saus and mash for lunch before the boat trip, then later on afternoon tea with chocolate cake at the Norwegian Church on the waterfront, and then Cadwaladers ice cream on the jetty before returning home.

And it only rained once (while I was on the barrage) - sunny and warm most of the day.

Fantastic.