January’s frozen spell is broken and my spring change urge is at full pelt. I always allow months and more for new ideas for the garden to brew before committing to big changes, but once an idea has become so clear in my mind’s eye that it seems more ‘real’ to me than the actuality of how things are now, then it’s time to go ahead.

So this week I hired a turfcutter and a trusty operator in the shape of Tim Atkinson to lift a lot, and I mean a lot, of grass. I can use the machine myself and lifted some more after he had gone, but all heavy garden machinery seems designed for use by a 14 stone, 6 foot man, not a 9 stone, 5’4″ woman. I guess there’s not much of a market for a 3/4 scaled device, though I’d happily buy a full set. Anyway, here are the before photos of the two areas in question – I shall leave you to ponder on the end result. I’ll post some more when we’ve tidied up a bit. Right now there are rolls of turf everywhere.


I’ve now started four big garden redevelopment projects this winter that remain ‘in progress’ rather than completed. I’ve almost finished replanting part of the cottage garden and the front garden is ready to plant – it just hasn’t quite hit the top priority spot yet. Plus the Mobberley garden to finish replanting and the Lion Salt Works butterfly garden. So no pressure then, especially with the first of the new plant stock deliveries now scheduled for next week.

Still, I do have a small army of helpers (apart from the ever-reliable Peter that is). I barrowed leaf mould into the new cottage garden area to give the new Trilliums a good home and it was feverishly raked over the plot for me by the chickens. Must be something irresistable in it.

Talking of Trilliums, I’ve managed to source a few varieties as stock this spring. And talking of stock, the winter weather was a great opportunity to sort my website out and update the 2010 stock listing too: Click here for 2010 stock list

January 30, 2010