It’s been a busy few weeks, I’ve managed to get out to do some gardening after spending the winter planning, it was good to actually get stuck in. I don’t have acres of space so I need to make the most of my main patch, organising the layout well so that when the weather warms up the ground will be prepared and ready to plant up.

And so with the weather on my side and the offer of help from my hubby we set off with a car full of straw and timber to spend our Valentine’s Day preparing my flower beds and putting up fencing before seed sowing starts in earnest.
My Dad is a “double digger” but my back’s not that strong so this year I have decided to try the “no dig” method as recommended by other flower farming friends. I forked over the soil and pulled up the odd weed, fortunately they hadn’t got going yet. I then made 3 ft wide beds piling the soil to make mounds, put plenty of well rotted horse muck on top and covered with cardboard. I have just made narrow paths in between the beds and covered with straw.
The main path down the centre of the patch I have left wide enough for my trolley so I don’t have to carry the buckets of flowers too far. The only challenge is the main patch is on a slope so if I’m not careful the trolley does run down the hill!

I’m so looking forward to seeing the flower patch in all it’s glory full of delightful dahlias and colourful annuals.
Next on the agenda is to sort out the flower beds and plant up some perennials, so hoping the weather is kind I can get back in the garden soon.