I’ve been so busy this week. But it’s not just taking advantage of the glorious weather to work on my victory garden, it has also been a coping mechanism that is helping with worry which is there hidden underneath the smiles and giggles. We all cope in different ways, whatever we do is probably the best thing for us! For me, it’s working my butt off and collapsing into bed knackered and not getting dragged into the relentless heated discussions on the Coronavirus in the media and on social channels (which I’m finding has a negative impact on my psyche). While I do spend a little time reading some scientific information and studying the effects the pandemic is having on our global supply chain including food security, I guess trying to make plans for an uncertain future is probably most at the forefront of my mind.

Today I turned a huge mound of dug up garden turf and cardboard into a no-dig bed under the back wall for potatoes. I hope to add in 10 plants there once my vege-grow topsoil arrives from Dandy’s. I don’t know if I mentioned but that area of the garden seems to be literally 4 inches of soil over a solid bed of stones and gravel.  I also now have enough space left for a second compost bin too (and it looks like I’ll need that!)

A couple of weeks ago I ordered two bundles of green willow from ‘Somerset Willow Growers’ to make wattle hurdles for the vegetable beds. First I made a couple of wigwam/obelisk type frames out of the willow which I will use for beans/peas/tomatoes so I will probably make a couple more too! I then started cutting some tree branches down to make garden stakes for the willow borders and then finally stripped the willow whips of all the extra little branches before weaving them in and out of the ground stakes. It’s very rustic looking but I love it. Have always wanted this medieval type of garden border. It takes such a long time to do though and I have three more beds that need these too!

Today I also put in 5 dwarf English Lavender bushes which are now looking down over the bottom victory garden. I hope they take and grow as it will be lovely to see more butterflies and bees. Yesterday we had all the trees cut down to head height between the neighbour and I as the tree branches were completely overhanging his garden and blocking out all the light. It means now that my garden is super sunny for veg growing. Tomorrow the overgrown flower borders have to be weeded as this is the area I’d like to grow some courgette and butternut squash.

My seedlings are growing slowly, the garlic is in and I’m chitting some seed potatoes. I still don’t know what to put in each of the small beds at the bottom of the garden but would love onions and probably carrots and maybe cauliflower. Luckily I have a little while to think about it as it might be a couple more weeks before the topsoil arrives. I put in some ‘Black Hollyhock’ seeds, ‘Blue Delphiniums’ and ‘Lupins’ into some trays so might plant those along the fence line between my neighbour and I when those come through and are big enough to transplant.

Finally, I feel like I’m beginning to get somewhere.

C xxx