Day: 18 March 2023

In the shelter of a rosemary bush, some of the blue hyacinths are in bloom, though the ones further out were badly scorched by frost a few days ago.These are the survivors of indoor forced bulbs for Christmas five and six years ago … I’ve since decided that the scent is too overpowering to have them in the same room as me!

I’ve dug over the top bed and put up bean poles. Far too early to plant, but I do the bean wigwam first so that I know how many 7’6″ bamboos I have left over for other things.

OK, I’ve given in. My nine-year-old compost bin – the “dalek” – has been repeatedly raided by rats and burgled by badgers (which have trashed the plastic hatch at the bottom), and clearly is no longer viable. The heap of non-compostable prunings and branches has reached a terrifying size. We’re into spring, so within the next couple of weeks it will no longer be needed as a refuge for overwintering animals.

So I’ve ordered a fortnightly brown bin garden waste collection. Hopefully only for a year, as I dislike sending potentially useful nutrients/humus out of the garden! But it buys me time to research and come up with suitable size compost facilities that are completely rat- badger- and anything else- proof! Something involving half-inch welded mesh is my initial thought.