A couple of tonnes of rubble was dropped off at the lottie with the idea of filling up the ditch left creating the border to the car park when digging out the land drains. I set to . It was hard work but I got the rubble spread out in more or less an even layer. Everyone must have over dosed on the lottie yesterday as it was only Martyn and I to enjoy the bird song and sunshine. I went down to my plot and did a bit of digging on bed 4. It is half completed now. Bed 2 beckons. The beds will need a bit of top dressing before the Peas, Beans and Curbits go in.
Martyn "found" some Cauliflowers on his plot. I had one. The Purple Sprouting Broccoli is get near the end. There is probably enough for two more diners. The Timperly Early is up so I bagged six sticks. Stewed Rhubarb for tea tomorrow. With my little hoard I went home for a spot of lunch.
Part two was to go to garden centre H had spotted on her commute to Tamworth. H wants some Lavender as it is her favourite herb. We found the place without any trouble. It is a independent garden centre. The plants looked really healthy although some items were quite expensive, well more than I was prepared to spend. The car park was full so it did not seem to matter to most of the customers. The Lavender was on offer as was the Rosemary so we had four of the former and two of the latter. I was went looking for the seed stands. I am short of Sweet Pea and I wanted some more Broad Beans and French Beans. They had a very good selection including the Seeds of Italy supplier. H was made up because she had bagged another garden Gnome. As with all her Gnomes this one has been christened. His special name is "Newton Regis". H will tell you, if you ask, that Gnomes will not disclose their "real" names so they have to be rechristened. Being benign characters they do not complain so long as real thought has been given to the new name.
Whilst I was perusing the seed stands we could hear quiet organ music and faint singing. The tunes were easy listening tunes from the past few decades. H came scooting over to say she had found the source of the music. Adjacent to the garden centre was the Cafe. In the cafe was an old boy tinkling the ivories of an organ and singing along. Unfortunately he did not know all the words so the words drifted away when he got to a tricky bit. A bit surreal. H plonked herself in one of the garden furniture displays so she could hear the piano man and keep an eye on me whilst I faffed about. H had put the Gnome, we now know as Newton Regis, on the table whilst she contemplated a suitable name. One of the staff came over and asked if she was OK. I reckoned he thought H had given her minder the slip.
It is sad to admit but I spent an inordinate amount of time over choosing a new watering can. The one I have in the greenhouse I have had for years but I broke the rose yesterday. It was never any good but it was not broken and I just had to organise myself when I needed to use it. The trouble is that when seeds are sown they need watering. They need watering once they have sprouted and for as long as they are in the greenhouse. The old can meant I had to take things off the shelves to water them. Because the shape of the old can did not lead itself to the tight space between the top shelf and the roof. The spray of the rose was too fine so it took ages to water everything. The fine spray also meant it could deliver a quick soaking to the seed modules. The big watering cans are too heavy and can wash away the compost and seeds if I am not careful. This new garden centre had all kinds of watering cans. I found the one I liked but then had to torment myself to part with the money for it. I justified the expense by saying it would help do the job more quickly, it was the right weight of spray, it made of metal so it should be robust and only being a gallon in volume it would be easy to control and not too heavy.
We had a pleasant ride home through the Warwickshire countryside and counted ourselves lucky to be leading this life. When we got home I went up to the Greenhouse and planted the seeds I had bought. I had bought mix of old scented Sweet Pea. The Broad Beans were just put in the seed box to wait their turn in the succession. I planted the French Beans straight away. For reason I have forgotten I had this idea the French Beans were always dwarf in habit. I found some climbers which I am chuffed about so they were sown straight away. H spent a few quid on Dahlia tubers or Delilah's as H likes to mispronounce it. I found some big pots at the back of the greenhouse that will suffice whilst they get started.
The greenhouse which in my world is red, is full again. I have to plant out more of these seedlings. This is the state of play today:
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