ABC Wednesday 4: P is For...

... Project Update

How time flies! We're about a third of the way through the year, so I thought it would be good to review my list of projects for 2009 to see how things are going.

Blogging

Public Planting - lots of posts plus lots from you! Thanks for your contributions thus far and don't forget the next episode of the Out on the Streets meme is due next month.

Front garden quirkiness - to follow and 3 gardens found thus far - I have a steam engine (which also featured briefly in How Britain Got the Gardening Bug if you watched it), a garden of car hub caps plus one with every conceivable solar powered lamp. If you know of any others, do let me know.

Garden

I've mulched the garden and cleared about a third of the bottom bed for its makeover. Progress has been slowed by the amount of ivy that's crept in from the public land that needs ripping out, plus Clematis 'Francis Rivis' is looking so lovely at the moment I can't bear to cut it back.

After taking advice at the RHS Show in London, the back fence will no longer have any vertical gardening as it isn't strong enough. Instead I've invested in a couple of pots to add the vertical interest and as you can see from the picture, the Clematis on the fence is making great strides.

The patio strawberry bed to herb/salad conversion is now going to house the asparagus bed instead as I've decided I can't get my allotment space weed free enough in time. The salad succession project has transferred to a tray and pot system and the herbs have been transferred to bigger pots. I've also started an extra project: growing potatoes in compost bags.

Final decisions are still to be made on what to do with the conifers and the lawn area, though NAH seems to be rather taken with the idea of making an extra couple of beds out of part of the lawn. In the meantime I've revamped one of the terrace beds to include poppies, Echinops, Euphorbias and more Echinacea. A couple of miracles have occurred: I've remembered to stake the plants that need it before they flop over and there's less plants in the nursery area than at the start of the year in spite of my recent purchasing activities :0

Allotment

Progress has been slow here as my back/calf injury slowed things down just at the time when most of the work needed to be done. Consequently the gooseberries are still there and covered with lots of fruit, the replacement apple arches and cordons haven't been started and the weeds have gained the upper hand again! This is where my main activities will be focused over the next month or so.

How do you think I'm doing so far?

For other Perfect P Posts, do visit the ABC Wednesday blog.

Comments

  1. Victoria Summerley6 May 2009 at 00:23

    I think I'll have to go and have a lie down after reading that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gail6 May 2009 at 00:54

    Busy girl! You put this lazy gardener to... wondering what I need to do! gail

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rose6 May 2009 at 04:22

    I'm with Victoria and Gail...I'm tired just thinking about all this work, VP:) Your clematis is gorgeous! And I'm glad to hear you have another installment of "Out on the Streets" planned for June--I'll be on the lookout now.

    ReplyDelete
  4. TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe6 May 2009 at 06:33

    Busy girl in busy time, May is a tough month but still I think it's the best!

    Well done/ Tyra

    ReplyDelete
  5. VP6 May 2009 at 08:47

    Hi Victoria, Gail, Rose and Tyra! I'm sorry if I've made you feel tired, but rest assured there's still plenty more to do! The allotment's have just had their first inspection of the year: I won't be getting a letter this time, but I would have done if they hadn't taken my injury into account! Now it's up to me to show some improvement next month...

    ReplyDelete
  6. easygardener6 May 2009 at 09:19

    Well if NAH is suggesting extra flower beds you will have to follow his advice - all that extra plant buying will be a chore but needs must ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Helen/patientgardener6 May 2009 at 12:17

    Sounds like you are making real progress with your projects - the weather seems to be preventing me from getting on. Always raining when I off work! See you Friday

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anna6 May 2009 at 21:19

    A perfect choice for P. I am full of admiration - a nursery area with less plants in it than at the start of the year- what's your secret ?

    ReplyDelete
  9. compost in my shoe6 May 2009 at 22:17

    busy spring.....sounds like you are having fun!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tumblewords:7 May 2009 at 04:47

    You are so busy! Amazing...sounds like you are feeling pretty perky!

    ReplyDelete
  11. spacedlaw7 May 2009 at 18:10

    I have not followed the saga of your planting but that sounds like a very busy schedule. Good P choice.

    ReplyDelete
  12. VP11 May 2009 at 10:10

    EG - I'm a bit gobsmacked he thought it's a good idea. I suspect it's because it'll mean less lawn mowing to do!

    PG - not as much progress as I'd like and I see you've come on great strides with your garden revamp too.

    Anna - easy, lot's of planting up! There's still some way to go though...

    Compost in my shoe - welcome! Yes, it's lots of fun :)

    Tumblewords - I am now I've started to get the plans into action!

    Spacedlaw - thank you.

    ReplyDelete

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