Trying to catch up

Apart from watering the container plants indoors and out, today was the first day I've done any real gardening for a while so I've packed a lot in. Fortunately the weather was glorious - sunny but not too hot - and I was out there pretty much all day until my back told me it was time to stop!

Wildlife

I've heard it said that a garden with spiders is a healthy garden. I don't know if it's true but I do hope so as mine is teeming with them. And look what I saw today. The tent web in the photo - at least I think that's what it's called - was on an Ivy leaf and contained too many baby spiders to count. I'd like to learn more about spiders as I find them fascinating creatures. But I think it'll have to go on the ever-growing list of things to do when I retire!

I am so chuffed with my eldest granddaughter. She was two years old in March and already has a keen interest in the garden. She was out there yesterday pottering around whilst I was in the kitchen and suddenly I heard her shouting: what's that? I looked over and saw her looking up into the Buddleia. I assumed she'd seen a bird or butterfly but when I reached her she was staring intensely at a 14-spot ladybird. I think it's amazing that she'd spotted something so small and was prepared to just stand and watch until I got to her side. Then when she came today for a brief visit she wanted to go straight in the garden. When we reached the Buddleia she pointed and said: that's the ladybird bush! Bless her.

At long last my bird feeder is attracting more species. Today I saw sparrows and blue tits enjoying the fat balls and possibly a great tit but I can't be certain. It made a nice change from the wood pigeons.

I spent a while watching the pond and now I know I have at least two very fat tadpoles. No sign of their back legs yet but I don't think they can be far off. There are lots of other tiny creatures in there too but I have no idea what they are. I really must get a book about pond life.

The bees are delighted that the Chives are now in flower although they still love the Aquilegias and the Pulmonaria. And there was a Hornet on the Brooklime but sadly I didn't have my camera at the time.

Ornamentals

I cut and edged the grass for only the second time this year - it's been so dry - sowed Ipomoea direct in the sunny border, potted on a Passiflora, noticed I have flower buds on one of my other Passifloras (and a flower spike on Hosta Tokudama), potted on Fuchsia Ant and Dec and pricked out Knautia and Aquilegia Clementine White seedlings. I also moved around some of the containers on the patio - dispatching two Lily Beetles as I did so - and had to remove one of Honesty plants which was top-heavy with seed pods as it had been virtually flattened by the recent winds and was in a sorry state.

Edibles

I had a fruitless firkle for my Potatoes. I couldn't get my hand down the compost bag sufficiently so I cut a little 'door' in the side instead. But after a bit of careful scraping away of compost all I 'hit' was a stem and no sign of any tubers. Worried I might cause damage I gave up and parcel-taped the 'door' shut again. I'll leave it a week or so then empty the whole lot out instead.

I pricked out the Courgettes and Cucumbers and put some in the greenhouse and left one of each in the kitchen 'just in case'. I sowed some more Watercress as only one seedling from the previous sowing has escaped the slugs/snails. The snails are also feasting on my Broad Beans which I am very cross about but there's nothing I can do about it. As I was looking over the plants I discovered that my trailing Rosemary has set seed. I've never noticed it do this before and as some of it was ripe I gathered it and sowed it in a small pot. I also potted on the Mustard plants - these are great for attracting Hoverflies - so that meant reorganising the containers in the veg plot in order to squeeze them in. No wonder my back aches!

Georgie