Sunday 1 March 2009

a Spot of Gardening - Farm Style.







A lovely Spring day - light breeze, bright sun, blue sky, scudding clouds - just right to begin on the front garden. Get out the tools and wait for farmer to appear after his morning jobs. Appears - on his way to check his mole traps - says I could do worse than sweep up under the dining room window, where straw has blown. (Farm incident 1 - a load of straw came during the week. It was a breezy day. The farmer unloaded the straw bales. Then he and the lorry driver stood in the yard chatting (as farmers do) - result - every lane, road, path, verge in the vicinity is now lined with straw).
Armed with the yard brush, slightly depleted since Tess chewed at it when she was a pup, began to sweep up the straw. Tess thought this was great fun and we had a lovely time until suddenly I realised that she was missing. Called.......and called........and called. The farmer came back. He called.......and called......and called. No dog came. Farmer went off into fields to check - Tess came back, tail between legs, very hangdog and got into her crate without being told!
Finished sweeping the yard - blown away by the number of snowdrops in full bloom - must be thousands. Then we both adjourn to the front garden to begin. (Farm incident 2. Our friend, who houses his Holsteins here in Winter, came to put them all through the footbath. This is necessary to inhibit the spread of Digital Dermatitis - a scourge in winter housing. So we stopped - the farmer to assist, me to take photographs) Lunch time (Cornish new potatoes with butter amongst other things - scrumptious).
Finally we make a real start. Two plants have decided to take over the garden - Iris Sibirica, Dragonfly - masses of leaves, no flowers last year. This was a major job - dig, dig, dig - separate iris sibirica from lesser celandine (and they're a nightmare to get out), split up, dig over the plot, fork in Bone Meal, replant (1 hour has passed). Schizostylus (Kaffir lily) - fantastic when out but pretty droopy and awful for the rest of the year. Spent another hour digging a lot of that out - splitting up some of the newer bits and replanting. Time up as (Farm incident 3 - farmer calls for a "chat). Put kettle on, make tea, put away forks, spades and secateurs. That's it for today.
But my goodness, how Spring is coming on - flowers out today:- Lenten rose, Christmas rose, Helebore argutifolious, Primula Wanda, Primula Denticulata, Pulmonaria, Daphne, Auricula - and the weeping cherry is in bud. Cold weather is forecast for the week ahead!

19 comments:

Unknown said...

Your Cornish new potatoes sound yummy. Aren't news so tasty with just a little pepper, salt and butter? Real butter.

I am drooling at the thought!

Jenn Jilks said...

I am drooling with anticipation of spring! We have double-digit below zero temperatures....Thanks for the foreshadowing of what is to come. I have a Lenten Rose, too.

Jinksy said...

All those flowers, and new potatoes too - how lucky you are.

Arija said...

What a beautiful 'farm' day! If only I could see the snowdrops...
Gardening sprees are so often truncated by a farmer or two dropping by, cappucino and lots of talk later, it's time to put the tools away. We would not have it any other way though.

Dragonstar said...

There's always cold or wind - or both! - when cherries blossom. I hope yours doesn't suffer.

Sal said...

It was a lovely sunny day here in Devon!
We don't really like to praise the Cornish for anything.. but I must say that Cornish new potatoes are scrummy!! ;-)

Anonymous said...

Day of rest, eh? But I'm glad that you caught the spring day too.

Heather said...

I think they should have tidied up the straw themselves!! Oh those lovely hellebores - how I love them. I must be patient for another week before I can start working on the garden. I hope the weather stays dry a bit longer. I've quite a lot to do out there and am really looking forward to it. Lovely new potatoes - what a treat.

Annie Wicking said...

Hi Weaver, The blog you have left a message on isn't my blog. I know nothing about it.
I changed my blog address at the weekend.
You need to change your link to my blog to:
http://anniewickingsjourney.blogspot.com/

Cat said...

New potatoes sound yummy. I'm ready for Spring even more after seeing your photos. My daffodils are up about 4 inches and I'm so excited. They are about the only flowers the deer do not in my yard.

Hildred said...

I am green with envy...

Chere said...

The Lenton roses are beautiful. In Atlanta, they are always so welcomed at the end of winter. Their blooms last so long. The cows looked like they were standing in an organic growing material. Glad you cleared that up for this city girl. Please take more photo of your flowers. Loved it.

Dave King said...

Sounds idyllic, as I'm sure it is. Thanks for posting how the other half lives!

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

How beautiful are your flowers. We had 5 inches of snow on Saturday so I fear we must wait a while for spring to truly come. Buttah... and new potatoes. I have been known to eat mashed potatoes with butter for dessert at potluck functions.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Butter - Barbara - don't tempt me!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Jenn, Lenten roses are one of my favourites - they come in such subtle colours.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Sal - I didn't realise there was a Cornwall/Devon divide like there is with Yorkshire/Lancashire!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks to everyone else for the comments - Annie I shall have another go at reaching your blog.

Janice Thomson said...

I'm so envious of your spring flowers! I'm living vicariously through your photos until we get our own spring :)