GARDEN DIARY: WEEK TWO

This week I felt that we had very little idea in the way of planning. We drifted between tasks depending on the weather. We had sprayed a lot of weed killer on the main patch of the land, so there is very little we can do until it starts to work. Places that were previously buried by rubbish have sprouted new weeds in the newfound sunshine. There is so much work still to be done, once we rid ourselves of the rubbish. 

Ah, the rubbish. 

Now I understand the make-do and mend mentality, especially when running a garden plot/allotment. There is always something to build or fix. But there is a fine line between storing helpful items and taking whatever is going for free. Some of the things we need to remove are nine rusty barrels, a water tank that belonged in an attic, around 50 panes of glass, milk crates, doors, and double glazed windows! That's not including all the bags of general litter and the lampost (!) that was also left to rust and rot. Luckily our garden neighbours are taking the glass, as well as one of the old greenhouses we've cleared and dismantled. 

This week we said goodbye to the well. My other half dug out the well when he was younger, so we were excited to uncover it. Sadly, the previous occupants had used metal sheets to form a barrier inside. The metal had rusted and turned the water yellow. It's unsettling to think that Selwyn was watering the garden with that. There was rubbish (of course) in the well too. 

There is no chance we will be ready to plant this summer. There is far too much clearing and planning to do. Once we clear a decent patch of the flat land, we aim to put in a new greenhouse. There are still costs I need to figure out and whether it's worth getting in a landscaper. Ordering a skip is the main priority. Maybe I should send S the bill? 

Our neighbours have already planted their summer crops, and every day we see them growing bigger. There are spring onions, cabbages, and cauliflowers already in the ground. When I gave them a recipe for roasted cauliflower I was informed that I should be on TV. Not quite the reaction I expected!

The week ahead is promising, although that ticking clock of returning to work is ever-present. The urgency to sort out this garden has never been stronger.