Autumn Gardening

Somewhere along the line I heard that this Saturdays weather was going to be fine so in my mind  an out door tidy up was in store.

We live in a terrace town house with a stairs to the basement where G has his practice.
New word - I usually refer to it as an office.

It began to look a bit scraggy in the summer and I kept saying to G, you have to sort it out. I always clear it and expect him to maintain it especially as he walks through it to get to his desk.

It's a man thing.

My dream job of recent years is to clear front gardens, I don't want to plant things I just want to tidy them up. When ever I see something that could do with a sweep, I think, why don't I?

For some reason there is more green in the brick work than ever before and as I was tugging some weeds out the dream job was beginning to fade a little.

So I think we need to get the jet washer out and go over the stone and lift the slim and muck then put some concrete mix down in the brick joints. I've cleared up by the front door and some of the cement flooring is loose and the water is just pouring through the gaps in the stone steps.

More jobs and I can't think if it is best to tackle them as soon as (if) we get another good weekend or wait till next summer when everything is completely dry and tackle it then.
But what state will it all be in 2013.



Today is grey but as it was G's turn to do breakfast for the girls I went for it and trimmed my bush in the back garden.

It's blurry because the button didn't like my gardening gloves.
I planted five lavender herbs (not found with the normal lavenders in the garden center) and whilst the bees have loved hanging out here, at nearly six years the growth is beyond a bush.
In fact this is it trimmed down from last weeks harvest.

It's just got really woody.

Alan (80 yrs plus) two doors down said Ken (100yrs plus) would say, trim them when the flowers die leaving and inch or so of green and then trim and shape again when the warm weather arrives but before it starts to flower.

The plan is to re plant just two and keep them manageable.

Of course by removing them I've made the biggest litter box for all those F****** cats that insist on crapping in my garden so I've decided to fox them by making what I hope will look like a death trap from the leaves of the other big thing that grows.

Doesn't it look sad when you pile it all up before the frost. I had a really good sweep, folded the chairs and put away the tools.
I will try and get out and do a little bit more through the week.
The more gentle stuff will need covering with bark chippings to protect them and plants will need cutting back as the last things finish flowering. The washing line will need rolling up and the pots I will move next to the house out of the wind.

By my breakfast time and before my bladder gave out I had two huge sacks and the old kitchen bin.
So ready for a shower.


But this beauty puts my efforts to shame.
It's truly stunning and I would have loved to have sniffed it as much as seen it.
Please watch it.

Going to fill this week with things to be done.
Only hope I have the energy

CM