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Thursday 11 May 2017

Garden..... early Spring



I'm always optimistic about gardening at this time of year. Everything is beginning to grow again, and it a beautiful vibrant green.  Well most of it....  I've been getting a neighbour, S. to help do the heavy work in the garden so I can focus my energy on planting and nurturing. I don't have energy for both! A couple of borders have been widened this Spring and I've added some new perennials.  It all looks quite bare at the moment.  We'll see how things go.  Anyway here are some photos....  Oh and washing on the line. I LOVE when I can put washing on the line again!  OK to be honest many folk put it on the washing line through the winter too, but I don't have the time or energy to keep rushing out to take it in if it rains etc so I just do this in the summer months.


In Orkney we are about 6 weeks behind the South of the UK.  Though once then we have a very rapid growing season.  I can almost HEAR the lovage, in the photo above, growing!  Lots more to plant in these borders....  The stone wall gives some protection but in these borders, as they get a lot of salt spray over them, as well as battered by Winter gales, I tend to grow perennials that die right back in Winter...



I love this delicate Spring bulb.


And these are so lovely (photo is NOT!) - they open when the sun shines...


This is another new border.  This used to be the "midden" where household rubbish was thrown.  It was full of broken china!!  Bucket loads of broken china.  I've kept most of it with some ideas of how to "reuse" the fragments.


And my new toy - a cordless grass strimmer.  It's very lightweight and I can just do bits at a time. I'm loving it so far!


So, as things progress I'll share more photos.  Oh I dream of an abundant garden!  Many folk are successful in Orkney producing just that.  But it probably takes more time and effort plus LOTS of more shelter and TLC than I can give.  Still considering all this was just field grass when I moved in, it's coming along slowly....

12 comments:

  1. You're doing a good job in the garden and the results are great.I have laundry on the line even in winter; don't mind rain water on it. However, we've got a sunny country all year round, so,laundry drying is not big deal anytime.

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    1. Must post some more recent pix. Garden coming on slowly. I started from scratch a few years ago and it's taking a while!

      I love putting washing out and my neighbour does it all year round. But I tend to just do it in the summer rather than dodge the wind and rain in winter

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  2. What a gorgeous BLUE sky in that top photo!

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    1. It is lovely isn't it? Havent seen it for a while...sigh.

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  3. Oohhhhh just found this blog. Lovely! I am just back from Orkney. I went for one week and ended up staying for three. I wanted to stay forever. This is helping with my withdrawal symptoms. Thank you for posting

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    1. Hi Tilly! Welcome to Graemsay!! You either love Orkney or you don't. It has a way of getting under your skin....

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  4. This is a great post, living in the countryside and having the space to garden is such a lovely privilege that no doubt brings a lot of joy, especially in the summer months!

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    1. Our summer months are short but yes I just love being outdoors! The garden is a work in progress as all gardens are. I'm happy with some bits, less so with others. But hey ho!

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  5. Your garden is full of potential and hope and that is what I think gardening is all about. I don't do any heavy gardening work anymore either, I have simplified my yard and am adding lots of trees and shrubs.

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    1. I've been planting quite a few trees. Shrubs I have mixed success with. But the perennials that die back completely in winter seem to do well!

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  6. Hello, Sian, have a nice Orkney spring!

    Maybe (maybe not) you'll be curious to read my post about Birsay Bay and the tearoom... it's here:

    http://ultima0thule.blogspot.com/2017/05/birsay-tearooom-at-over-59-n-tea-and.html

    Sorry for any mistake (and help me correct). Oh, I read a recent article in the Times complaining of excess of visitors and some abuse in Kirkwall and the Italian chapel. I'm sorry to read that. Is that serious concern ?

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    1. Great post! And one of my favourite haunts too! I think all of the info is correct. But I would say - don't use the term "Orkneys" - it's either Orkney Islands or Orkney. Mmm I want cake now!

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