Spring growth

We've made more progress in the garden over the last few weeks - thanks this time to L.'s parents. During their visit, we managed to get some of the veggies planted.

The other main veg bed is ready for planting (if it ever stops raining!)

And, most excitingly for me, the alpines and succulents have nestled in.

We, ehem, might have over estimated how many plants we'd need for the little rock garden, so I have sadly been forced to plant another alpine/succulent garden that I can admire from the comfort of the lean-to.

And speaking of the lean-to, it's now filled with seedlings...most of them pepper seedlings (perhaps we went a little overboard...). As you can see from the first photo, we've had to resort to advance cat-protection measures.

After the great slug feast of 2011, we've decided the lettuces are probably safer inside.

They seem happy enough in the window sill, though I'm a little afraid the slugs have heard rumours of the sweet delicacies as I've found not one, but three intrepid slugs in the house in the past few days.

And finally, the little squawker is also growing like crazy - so much so that I'm a little worried about how long his 0-3 month clothes will fit!

In the garden

Thanks to the arrival of two eager baby holders, L has been very busy in the garden.

The veg bed has been prepared and is ready for planting.

L. has made further fortification of the fruit patch.

Dad managed to put 2.0 down long enough to paint the fence.

It's looking extremely nice and it's brilliant to have that checked off the list of things to do this summer.

And the most exciting thing of all, L. managed to build the rock garden we've been talking about for months now.

It was so cute that we couldn't resist planting an alpine...

....or two....

...or, ehm, more...

(The cats, as you see, are feeling a little camera-neglected at the moment).
Baby holder in action:

Good fences, part II

We were hoping to wait until summer to get the last bit of fence fixed up, but a wind storm had other plans.

Much as we like Barbara and her dog Toby, this was a little too cozy for comfort.

So, we set about getting a new fence put in. L. has been getting all sorts of various illnesses this past month, and, as you can see, I'm not in the most helpful of shapes....

 It was clear we'd need at least a little help. Fortunately, the chap who helped L. and Neighbour-on-the-otherside with that fence was available. And, even better, L. started to feel better and was able to give a hand.

End result: a beautiful, sturdy fence in just a weekend and a bit.

Ahhhh, lovely privacy again.

In other garden-related news, the unseasonably warm January has meant that we have colour in the garden....

(still blooming from the fall!)

It certainly doesn't seem like winter....

Garden update, September edition

The garden is looking extremely tidy at the moment, thanks to the hard work of L. and L.'s parents (I, um, might have napped through the whole afternoon).

All of the diseased leaves have been removed, leaving the pumpkins looking a little lost in the veg patch.

The patio has been nicely cleaned and shaped...

...making it all the easier to admire the flower selection.

And the grass has been neatly trimmed.

Other highlights include the harvesting of the potatoes (the best part is that we didn't plant these--they're left-overs from the previous owners that seem to magically come back each year. Amazing!)

And fortunately, in spite of the great clearing, we still have plenty of colour in the garden thanks to the roses and the fuschia.

While I'm very pleased to have the garden so neat, I think our frog is less than pleased at the disappearance of all of the lush undergrowth.

Garden update, August edition

I'm sure you're desperate to know what the status of our garden is.

I'm happy to report, it remains productive, with an explosion of both growth....

And (finally) tomatoes:

...peppers (L. is particularly pleased about these):

...strawberries:

....and the ever-growing pears:

We had a major problem with a white mildew that took over the courgettes, so drastic pruning was necessary.

It seems to have stopped the spread and has had the additional benefits of spurring the plants to create even more courgettes....and to encourage the newly-uncovered pumpkins to ripen.

With no less than four pumpkins in the making, I'm already having visions of delicious pumpkin pie in the fall.

A very pleasant summer

I'm a little ashamed to keep putting up blog posts as most of what I have to blog about is just the state of the garden (which, with a little weeding and a little watering is mostly taking care of itself).

L. and I haven't done too much on the house lately - we've been busy sporting, socialising, and, in my case, sewing.

This is my latest work in progress (for a friend who hopefully doesn't read here).

I still haven't decided how I want to finish the edges off (so, friend of mine who is expecting a little one soon and likes this type of fabric and tea - if you are reading this, do let me know your preference :) ).

And now, back to the usual garden report.

Most of the suspicious 'weeds' have proven their worth by producing some lovely flowers.

The tiny seedling tomatoes that the parents kindly gave us in May have turned into water-sucking monsters.

And the peppers have taken off too -- though still no fruit from either.

Lukas harvested the first of the beetroots today.

A few more lovely-and-fiery radishes have been eaten.

And the courgettes....oh, the courgettes! I love courgettes normally, but I'm a little worried I won't be able to appreciate grocery store courgettes now that I've tasted truly fresh courgettes.

From vine....

to documentation.....

...to dinner in under half an hour. Oh, the deliciousness!

We'll have to wait a bit longer for the pumpkins, though they certainly are coming on nicely.