An Intermittent Blog

Yesterday, “something” had ripped the hatch off the compost dalek and thrown waste all over the path, so I re-made the compost and put the hatch back. The same thing happened last night, though not nearly so badly. I suspect the badger, and have set the trailcam up … so I’m hoping either for photos or to have put the animal off such raiding!

Somewhat later, in a rather mild afternoon despite the overnight frost, I made a start on weeding the flowerbeds. I managed half of one of them – from the Oriental Poppies down to the Black Pear. Now out of space in the compost bin, of course, though it will probably compact if I get the stepladder, get into the compost bin, and jump up and down a bit!

Iris reticulata opened this morning. It’s one of three survivors from a batch planted some years ago – they don’t really care for the heavy soil here.

In other news, the contents of my compost dalek were strewn all over the path this morning. “Something” had torn the hatch off and rootled about inside. I suspect the badger, in search of worms, as I don’t think foxes are quite strong or determined enough to do this.

The first flowers are opening on my rosemary – always helpful for early bees and other pollinators.

I did also manage a walk up to the CoOp: given that I’d already done some Green Party printing, that was rather pushing the boundaries of what I’m capable of in this recovering-from-covid phase.

Cutting the third batch of forsythia to bring in to flower in a vase on the coffee table, I noticed that buds are opening. This will be the last lot I bring in … a bit of a wait now for the daffodils which are rather backward this year.

I did also manage to get out for 3/4 hour and do some gardening! Cutting down the brittle stems of last year’s tall plants: echinops, lillies and suchlike. There’s still a lot to do, of course, but alongside the path looks a bit tidier now.

It’s reached the dizzy height of +9.5C here at midday! In the sheltered shady angle between the house and the fence, the second flower on the camellia has opened – a month after the unseasonal first one – and there are plenty more buds coming along.

Due to a mixture of illness and inertia I was a bit late pruning the apple trees. Annie-Elisabeth is fine, but some of the buds on the Worcester Pearmain have already started swelling. Still, “better late than never” – I hope!

A chilly sunset here, but rather pretty.