Diary of a weekend gardener

The prairie garden is under way

Oh to have the energy of an 18 year old. I did today, albeit only on loan from the eldest Trillia. Between us we dug out 20 barrows of surplus soil and took the top 2 inches off the grey stone gravel path. All we need now is 3 cubic metres of fresh gravel and several more hours hard labour. So far I've got several grasses for it including stipa gigantea, a white eremurus (I really want the pale pink one), verbena bonariensis and echinacea. Helleniums need to go in as well, I think, for late summer colour.

A pair of wood pigeons are nesting in the bare branches of the silver birch, quite visible from the ground and almost certainly within climbing reach of the cats.

The threatened snow hasn't materialised as yet, but the M62 is closed due to blizzards about 20 miles away. And -3C is forecast for tonight. But spring is marching on regardless. This is part of the hardwood cuttings bed, with several dogwoods, apple rootstocks, the winter flowering cherry and several other shrubs all looking as if they intend to root. I shan't dig them up until autumn though.

posted by Sue Beesley @ 7:12 pm