I have decided I’m somewhat flaky. I start things and when they don’t give me the results I was hoping for I give up. I know this to be a not so good part of my character. I like happiness. I like joyfulness. And I like results, People! I was ill last week (and I’m not fully recovered even now) and I did not go out in the garden at all. Then at the weekend I ventured out. It was not a pretty sight.
A mould had completely decimated the honeysuckle plant which had been thriving seven days ago (see above). And those bl@s&ed slugs have almost killed my gorgeous dahlias. What’s a girl to do?
And don’t even get me started on my Rosemary, which has thrived perfectly well without any kind of care and attention for the past five years. Yet, now, after some tlc from yours truly, is looking decidedly unhappy. And is infested with some type of beetle to boot!
Also, you’d think planter labels would, y’know, stay planter label like, wouldn’t you? But my lovely chalk board labels which claim to be waterproof, are not looking so grand right now:
Me no likey!
So, as you can see, things are not looking so good on the gardening front, right now.
I did spend some time with Abigail trying to straighten out the front garden. Together we picked fruit, pulled weeds and then she and Becca took over and swept. It looked lovely afterwards.
Speaking of picking fruit, there are some successes which have required nothing from me. The raspberry bushes and black current bushes are fruiting really well (as they always do, with or without any help from me!) and thus far we have almost enough fruit to make a huge batch of ‘many berry jam’. So that’s something. And my herbs are doing well, and my lavender is really thriving in the little sunny spot in the corner.
Oh, and last but not least, you know the pond we built a couple of weeks ago? Well, we didn’t consider Harvey. Water plus dog equals too big a temptation. So as of last week our lovely pond now looks like this:
Looking good, uh? There is a small treasure at the end of the rainbow though. We have already got three frogs in residence which the littles have named Nettle, Freddy and Francis. So, that’s good. Perhaps they may even venture out to my dahlias and feast on the slugs. Earn their rent, so to speak.
Today I have a whole afternoon to myself, and I shall be giving myself a jolly good talking to! I need to get my butt outside and, regardless of the products of my labours, I need to enjoy it!! Flaky no more! I shall garden!
I am Claire. I am a gardener. Hear me roar…or something like that. Basically, I am not going to stop something I love so much just because of mould and slugs. Now, where are all my snippy tools…?