A 'mixed' start to the year & working season

Having had some time away from the gardening business over the winter; which was expected, some late winter / early spring activities are starting up.

Obviously the weather plays a large part of what I’m able to do outside. So some unseasonably mild and stable weather in late February enabled me to tackle a fairly large crab apple pruning job which took the best part of 6 to 8 hours to complete. I was keen to ensure it remained attractive to look at after its prune and not just to leave a set of stumps in the air.

A couple of returning customers are welcome too as I get back into the gardening working pattern again. Winter tidy ups - getting ready for the Spring growth.

Our daughter was married in late February, so this was a welcome event in the family, and we enjoyed a fabulous afternoon and evening, especially with the reception location being Hestercombe Gardens – with very fine weather; plenty of warm sunshine and blue skies too.

Following the wedding I went down with a sore throat - initially thinking I had talked too much (what me?), which subsequently developed in to a particularly nasty chesty cold; really fed up with coughing after 5 days of it.

I was pleased to be successful in getting the National Trust’s Snowshill Manor holiday cottages gardener job this week and look to start later this month. I’m looking forward to making some improvements and changes this year, to build on all the hard work from last year.

Due to some recent poor weather and my cold I’ve been set back a bit with the plans and activities for the allotment. I still have fence posts to replace and a gate to make. Also some weeding needs doing before I make attempts to plant the early potatoes and create seed beds. Today's rainfall should help the soil though.

Having signed up a while ago for Twitter, I have found some useful information sources and other ‘twitterers’ of interest. Following the Guernsey Walled Garden produced a link to the Sarah Raven ‘birds, bees & blooms’ programmes; whilst following Snowshill Manor revealed that the gardeners have a blog too. Following Monty Don has revealed his recent travels in France – so maybe some interesting gardening programmes might be in the offing.