Following on from my post of a few days ago, I have now shifted all of the soil; several tonnes of it into my new raised bed (for my potager), and the rest now levelled out for a new grassed area. To say that it has been back-breaking is an understatement, and a slightly pulled muscle bears witness to my hard work. Moan? Yes I did. Sweat? Yes, by the bucket load. Think it would never end? Of course. But there is a wonderful sense of achievement when a job is completed and you can see the fruits of your labours. I already have some lettuce growing and my garlic has beautiful green shoots pushing their way skyward. Packets of seed are waiting my not so green fingers, and I am hopeful of some homegrown delights in the not too distant future. My thoughts are that everyone else seems to be able to grow veggies around here and I’m sure that they’re not all experts, so why not me? Anyway, back to the soil! I wonder if anyone else has the same problem as me….it’s almost impossible to get decent top-soil. Perhaps I should say it IS impossible, at least in this area. The soil I have was free, is full of stones (like all of the ground around here), and was full of weeds and old roots and rotting wood. But, it can’t be so bad, can it, seeing as it is absolutely crawling with worms?

This is the area which was the above-ground pool, all finished and grass seed scattered. I’m really hoping that the wire will stop Maggie from traipsing all over it and digging holes at random. Ideally it will rain a little and we won’t have a total deluge to wash the seed away into a muddy pile! I’m also hopeful that the birds will leave well alone. There is an old saying, as my post title suggests.

Plant four seeds in a row, one for the rook, one for the crow, one to wither and one to grow

Seems like a lot of seeds to plant, and I’ve never seen a rook or a crow in the garden, so fingers crossed that I will have a lush green lawn in no time at all!

Other garden things…I have finally cut down a tree that I didn’t like at all. It was in the wrong place and was too big. It was a liquidambar (or American sweetgum). I have to say that I HATE cutting down trees and love to see them growing, but it had to go. I have left some of the trunk and have planted a beautiful scented jasmine to climb over it.

I think that in no time at all it will be completely covered by the jasmine and add some more scents to the garden, and be another source of food for the bees. What are you all doing in your gardens? Whatever it is I hope everything is growing well and that you profit from your hard work.

A Bientot!