Garden Log - May 2013

What a month it's been for growth. Plenty of rain mixed with a reasonable amount of sunny days have sent things rocketing up! Lots of colour is appearing and the amount of soil showing is shrinking by the day. I've dug a new bed in the main garden (it's against a south facing fence, so hopefully that should allow me to try a few more sun lovers), and moved a few bits and pieces around. Here are this month's pictorial highlights.

Old School Tools

I love old gardening kit. I'd rather have an old, solidly made piece of kit that's been around for years and should last quite a few more than some plasticky piece of modern crap. I have two pairs of pretty rubbish modern shears in the garage, but these look and feel so much nicer, and they make a proper 'snick' noise when you use them.

I aquired them for the princely sum of £2.50 at the Tynemouth Sunday market. A bargainous find. They need a bit of a clean up and sharpen, but a bit of elbow grease and they'll be good as new.

 

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The Hanging Planters Of.... Sunderland...

 

I read somewhere recently (possibly Gardeners World Magazine) about a thrifty method of preparing hanging baskets. Ever the cheapskate I decided to give it a go.

The general gist is quite simple - don't buy moss or whatever to line it with. Kill two birds with a single proverbial stone and use the mossy thatchy stuff that you can rake out of the lawn. Simple! Hanging basket liner and an incentive to get around to scarifying the lawn in one fell swoop.

Now to see how well it lasts. We've had a couple of seriously soggy, windy days since it went up and it has survived thus far. Only time and the ever delectable British climate will tell.

 

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