Out in the garden

I've spent the day today out in the garden cutting back the jungle of grass and hedges and as summer is just around the corner I thought I'd post a few pictures from around the garden.

First up is Harry and his hair which has just gone to seed.



Then there's the Honeysuckle which has come into flower for the first time this year.



Sporran and Poppy enjoying the garden.



There's a rose - that has terrible black spot that I can't get rid of.



The small shed that's being devoured by the bush (I don't know what it is).



A view up the garden- I just mowed the lawn.



And one of the hanging baskets I've planted that's coming along nicely.

Monty Don

I've just read with horror on the BBC website that my favourite Gardeners World presenter of all time Monty Don has suffered a minor stroke and will be stepping down from presenting the show full time. I have been wondering why he hasn't been on the show the last few weeks.

I'm sure he will never read this but I wish him and his family all the best and look forward to seeing him back on my Telly very soon.

What can you make with 20 quid and a few bits of old wood?

Well probably lots of things but today in the sunshine I made a planter from the old wood, filled it with compost and planted some bedding plants, a trailing ivy and a hydrangea in it (£20). Looks lovely.

The Bindweed cometh

The recent warm weather has brought out my perennial arch enemy - Bindweed. Every year I fight an epic battle to keep it at bay and every year it wins. Im not giving up though and have been pulling it up all weekend. You can't compost it, you can't take it up the tip (they don't want it) so the only thing left is to burn it. Since I smoke the whole village out every time I go near the incinerator I think i'll give that a miss. For now all the spoils of war are being put in a big bin I have spare until I figure out what to do with it all. It's filling up fast though so I'd better figure it out quickly.

Bedding plants are in

The weather has been glorious here in Lavendon this weekend and Julia and I have been taking full advantage of the sunshine to get jobs done in the garden. We've spent the day repotting plants, edging the lawns and putting out the bedding plants. This year is the first I have grown bedding plants from seed and I can't recommend it enough. It's saved us a fortune in new plants from the garden centre.

I'm sitting here now with my feet up now, knackered but really pleased with our progress. More work to do tomorrow.