Washed out

 The weather is horrible, high winds, thunderstorms, hailstones, our garden has been battered, we have had a few coffee mornings in our sunroom with the doors shut, Lilly has often sat inside with us. It's very still and quiet inside, really enjoyable, the garden has not been damaged, just petals blown off roses and poppies. 

I pick strawberries every other day, the tiny bags protect the fruit, as does not growing them on the ground, there are enough uncovered for the bugs and small birds and mice. Another cucumber, again not full size, the plant seams very happy outside as does both my tomato plants. A few more sweet-peas, these are growing faster. We used the berries in an Eaton Mess, it was yummy. 

Last year I purchased 3 gaura plants, the white one planted in my side bed has not come back this year and one of the pink ones is looking iffy, I already have a cutting growing taken last year it's already in a pot, I'm not sure of these  colours, they just in water are growing strong roots, hopefully more plants. I adore these plants and their tiny flowers and hope to have more in other beds.

It's been a week at home, just too wet to go anywhere, Monday I did more pottery painting with daughter and her three, they all had an inset day off from school. Thursday we had our dental checks, we had planned to go into town, but just too wet.

Friday we planned a day out, we were both getting stir crazy from being inside so much, we did not stay out too long, neither of us get any delight in cruising arounds shops just having a look, it was a dry day. We decided not to hang around to have lunch out, later we sat in our summerhouse, lovely sunshine, out of the wind.

Our plans this weekend has changed, we were going home to Somerset, but my tummy issues have gotten really bad, I have a doctors appointment early next to week. My brother who we always stay with is also ill, which helped shape our decision, neither of us wanted to put on him or even get his bugs. My sister is getting married to her long term partner, she is not happy with me but it can't be helped, the journey is 3 hours each way and I'm just not up to it.

Undercover

My ranunculi's are filling out I have 18 plants here in the segments, and aquilegia plants I have 4, I split these plants, this is the sunniest side of the greenhouse. 

These are from a split geum plant I removed from my sink, one pot got a bit waterlogged, they are all growing well, and a few extra sweet peas which will not grow so high as the main batch. 

On the lower shelf I have 5 foxgloves, all seeded in wrong places in the garden, I dug them out to grow on, my echinops is growing well, another reduced plant coming back to full strength. My sweet pea seedlings are a bit leggy, they do look good.

10 days ago I was pleased to see shoots on my peanuts, today they are even better, later I will pot them up and put them in the greenhouse under cover to keep them warm, I have the perfect sunny spot for them. All I did was pop them on wet paper towel in this clear box, placed them on a sunny window sill near the radiator.

Some of the above plants will go into bigger pots before planting, I have also potted up, Chocolate Cosmos, gypsophila  and I have two Geum's which were reduced plants, my freesia bulbs are planted in a bag outside, so much promise for this summer. My greenhouse is a bit full, it is also very messy, my tiny plastic greenhouse is still in the middle, soon I will move it back to the side, remove the plastic cover and use it as shelves. I have sown a few flower seeds, I have more to start, I do not require so many bedding plants, in previous years I used loads. I hope to be able to move some of the plants above outside. 

I felt sorry for daughter driving 7 very loud excited boys to their first paintball morning, the day was dry and bright, the sun shone a few times. The woods was not as muddy as we feared, daughter sat and read whilst the company looked after the boys for two hours, they were beyond happy on their return. I had a simpler morning watching Disney for a while with Molly, then painting, we stayed inside, George wanted to stay in his PJ's, which is OK.

Saturday evening and Sunday was at home with hubby, we never do much at weekends, too many people around. Sadly Sunday was wet so we stayed inside, I would have preferred being in the garden, in reality I don't have much to do, just a quick check in the greenhouse. 

Monday was a sunny start, which cheered us both up, I spent the morning cleaning our bedroom and shower room, giving all the glass a good clean, when the sun shines all the smears show, which left the afternoon outside, nothing big to do, its has left me feeling really good. I added a solar air pump to my pond, just a gentle ripple, I also moved a plant, I was overjoyed to see a small newt swimming, finally its a wildlife pond.

Hope

 My sweet pea seeds have started to grow, now I will pop them into my long root sections, allowing them to grow into healthy plants for planting next month. The separate pot are a different type, which does not grow so high. 

My cuttings from the fleabane daisies are forming roots in their water, these will go into pots in hope I can have enough plants for daughter's garden. I also have tiny seedlings in the greenhouse, failure is not an option this coming year. 

These are Peony blend Ranunculus, in previous years I have planted their strange roots into the garden and never seen them again, this time they are in cells planted back in December, which they will stay in until they are in bud and ready to flower, then they can be spread around the garden, I have 18 plants here and a couple more in a nice pot. 

My first early seed potatoes are starting to sprout, these won't go into a grow bag until the end of the month, then I can start my second early ones.

I adore this author, normally set in and around Brighton and DCI Roy Grace, this is different, a mother dies and the son is left alone, the story hints to his unusual childhood and the issues he now faces, set in London, people are disappearing and a death in Brighton, it's a clever plot, always you know the son is guilty, but can they capture him. Book 11 read this year. 

I have been helping my sister re-plan a small courtyard area in her garden, our styles are very different, so I hope I have been able to create something she can work with, sadly she did not send me any measurements, so it's all guess work. The planters she will fill with grasses, I suggested she use fleabane daisies along the front, which will hide all the bases of the grasses and look pretty. Her water feature I suggested she get a plastic tub (similar to my pond) and pop in in a matching tall planter. There is a gate at the front end (right side) which lead to a path by the house into the back garden (left side). Using tall planters will give her easy access to her plants, the paving is already down and they won't remove any. 

Tuesday was rain all day, by mid afternoon it was heavy, I spent an hour chatting to my brother via video and made the garden plan above, in the afternoon we watched  Rental Family, with Brendan Fraser, a brilliant film.  I watched Traitors Ireland on Monday afternoon whilst hubby was out, they are arguing all the time, the roundtable is always very animated, the traitors all fell out and two are gone. I've not watched from any other country. I normally would not watch TV in daytime, the wet weather is keeping inside with cabin fever.

I aim for an hour in the greenhouse to sow the sweet peas and check all my other plants, the temperature is reasonable for this time of year, and the greenhouse is much warmer. My greenhouse is already crowded, I need to sort and move things around, its the start of a busy time of year. I had a walk around the garden, I can see snowdrops, crocus and primroses in bloom and loads of leaves for spring bulbs, mostly in my flower beds, my pots with the bulbs purchased last year are also looking good. I do love this time of year, I never remember where the bulbs I have planted are, so everything is a surprise to me.

Now that January is gone and spring feels closer there is hope, I know winter is not over, we can have snow in March, but longer days does wash the winter blues away. I am feeling better, not fully the issues with my tummy linger, I've cut back on any foods which does not help, mostly everything which I love, it's only for a short while. I've not seen daughter or children this week, I do miss them, their laughter and joy bring so much energy to our home. 

Tiny starts

Soon it will be seed sowing time, these are new variety to me, I always like to try new things, most of my seeds are started from February onwards, as are these. I have always had great results with Wilko's seeds and roots, I haven't the space for too many plants. 

I have to start my sweet peas, I had a great success last year for the first time, so again I will soak the seeds for 24 hours and then leave them on wet kitchen roll until I see shoots, then they will go into long root holders in the greenhouse.

I have taken 10 cuttings from my fleabane daises, I need plants for daughters garden, hubby made a raised bed along her side fence, she wants to fill the bed to look the same as mine, I did scatter loads of flower heads over soil in a covered propagator last autumn, there are tiny shoots forming. If I have plants left over I want to pop them along the base of our back fence.  

I have left most of my seeds in the garage, putting off getting them out as it is far too early, most packs came with my subscription Kitchen Garden, which I won't renew next month, I have kept the magazines for reference, they go into more detail than gardening books. I have 26 issues here in this drawer, plus a few other magazines. Most of the unwanted seeds I gifted to our local junior school.

This is my least favourite time of the year, everywhere is dull, grey and dismal, I do get outside in the garden for short periods, and I pop to the greenhouse a couple times a week, I want to be doing things but it is far too early, so I sit and wait, no plans to keep me occupied. Normally I craft, cross stitching or knitting, but neither is calling, I have been reading, my latest book is slow, I really need to decide if I want to know who are the bodies and why they were murdered, it's a good old police based plot, or start another book. I was hoping for a needle felting class, sadly the tutors mum is poorly so the classes are suspended for now. 

I'm so bored I have done all my housework, not my favourite task, I do love to see everywhere clean, we are not untidy, we live in a hard water area, so bathroom gets a wipe down after use to stop the build up of limescale, making it easy to keep clean. Hubby made two soups, carrots and coriander, pea and ham, which is this weeks lunches, and chocolate brownies for our treat.

We have not been out much, rain in January is cold and uninviting, we wrap up to walk to the village trying to avoid getting wet, drive to our local Lidl's for a bigger shop. There is nothing we need or want, so I see no point to going out, our town has shrunk, just a few nice shops, our local outlet is all outside so no fun on wet days, as is Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth. It was nice to have some sunshine on Tuesday,  still really cold.

Outside

 The pond area is looking good, the grasses work well, I love the tiny cyclamen infront, I can't see this from the house, my cider pot blocks the view. It's always lovely to pop here, there are primroses and hellebores in flower in the fruit bed, pretty pops of colour.

Whilst I was cutting back the old hellebore leaves to let the buds show, I found another almost black flowering hellebore, so I have two plants which is pleasing, I think I moved the parent plant to my square garden from the black pot. I do have two other pink plants, which the shoots are a bit later.

When we were in Lidl's last week, I picked up this trio of hyacinths, I did not get any bulbs last autumn, I'm using my hand painted pot, after they have bloomed I will pop them in the garden.

A couple of weeks ago, I cut back my gaura plant with white blooms, I popped 4 bits into water, so I'm pleased to see roots on two bits, I have read these plants don't live for years, so I will regularly take cuttings.

Friday was wet, all day, just steady rain, we did not go anywhere, Saturday was blue skies and bright, so I had an hour in the garden, I tied my broad bean plants higher up their stakes, I cut a small cauliflower and thinned some smaller carrots for lunch today. I cut a scrappy cabbage for our neighbours chickens and I raked the paths between my raised veg beds, I have a special plastic rake which makes the job so easy. Next I went in my greenhouse, which was nice and warm, checked my plants, re-potted a couple which were out growing their pots. It was warm inside, so I lingered long than necessary, soon I will start my sweet peas and other seeds, the new growing season is starting. The ground is still frozen so I can only sort stuff for the greenhouse. 

We have nothing planned for today, we are expecting rain all day, it does feel slightly warmer this morning. I am still reading, this time from my kindle, and I have started knitting another pair of socks, I prefer it when my hands are busy.

Digging the dirt

 A while ago I popped 3 soft supermarket potatoes in a empty tub, this week I dug out enough for 3 meals for us, I found five tiny potatoes which I have popped back into the pot added homemade compost, I will let you know if they grow. In this second bag is just one potato which wanted to grow elsewhere it has survived me moving it.

Both raised veg beds are full, one with mixed brassicas at the back and onions down the sides and carrots in the middle. The second bed has broad beans at the front, not showing through yet, I have mulched this end of the bed with my homemade leaf mulch, in the back section are leeks.

I am happy with this shelf in my greenhouse, most of these plants are from splitting or cuttings, the Geranium Sanne with tiny white flowers I removed from my butlers sink, I split it earlier this year, so I was surprised to get 5 more root sections, I would love them along the front of my side flower bed. I also have tiny violet cuttings in hope they can be placed under our red Acer.

 I popped my fushia with the bigger pink flowers in my butlers sink, I have cut the bottom off a pot and raised it, should give the plant enough root space, I have a lovely ground cover plant to pop infront of the pot. The second fushia with tiny white blooms I will cut back in the spring, I was able to move the pink fushia without disturbing the roots, so it should not wilt, this is a shady spot, which I can see from the house.

As well as the potato harvest, most of my greenhouse tomatoes went red, we had enough for hubby to make more tomato and red pepper soup in his soup maker, enough for 4 meals. I am thinning sweet baby carrots from a big tub, enough each time for a meal for both of us. 

I am really pleased with my homemade leaf mulch, so far I have used half, one dustbin is now empty, I've already starting putting leaves in for next year. To have both veg beds full again for winter growth is great, I have cauliflower, winter cabbage and sprouting broccoli which will produce first, the rest will be ready for harvest in the spring. My neighbour has given me some straw from her chicken run including poo for my composter, for now it's in a dustbin bag and stored in an black bin, I will leave for a few weeks before adding into my compost bins.

This week has been perfect weather for gardening, sunny days, warm enough not to require a coat, I did water the veg beds, after adding onions and brassicas, I'm not expecting to have to water anywhere again, even without any rain in the forecaste for the coming week, the ground is no longer dry. I have spent up to two hours most days outside, just sorting picking up leaves and any small task which should be done, it does feel more like September than October. 

After the rain

 The recent rain has done wonders for the garden, all my water buts are now full again, and after the thunderstorm on Saturday, the ground is no longer dusty dry. My back veg section is looking very productive, we are having regular carrots and broad beans, plus salad bits and of course strawberries. My recent planted runner beans are climbing the posts.

I have very little space to walk around, my bags and buckets are already showing loads of good growth, the flowers are growing tall in their two bags, I'm very hopeful to have cut flowers inside this year, I have finally cracked growing sweet peas, I do love to see them inside, I am regularly picking them. 

My one hosta plant has four blooms growing, both are now much bigger, this new larger pot is working, sadly they both have been munched, the yellow begonia is filling out nicely in the middle front, I have moved it along the fence and it now looks much better, the sun does not reach this spot until the evening. 

We have been moving plants again, the olive tree is now in the corner by the extension,  it's a much sheltered spot, I popped most of the pots with it, the metal table and two chairs don't  really have a space anymore, so I think I might try and sell them.

It's been just too wet to be outside much in the past few days, fortunately there is very little to do, I have a few cuttings, in water, in hope I can add a couple different plants along the back fence and fill the gaps, I also dug out roots from my snowberry plants, I have two existing plants and hopefully made another three, I would like them to fill the back section of my daisy bed. My perennials seeds are very mixed in the greenhouse, I am busy reading up on conditions required, and if I should pop any into fridge or freezer to recreate their normal sprouting cycles. 

I have managed to get some new hurdles (low fences) for my two raised veg beds, I am really disappointed with the split willow ones, they were middle range prices, I expected they would last better than just the year I have had them, the ones I would love are just too expensive, I did look into going on a course to learn to weave them myself, again not at all cheap. So I have gone for budget range, with metal and plastic, in hope they look good from a distance, they work so well in keeping cats off my beds and keeping all the produce from flopping over. 

I've had a cracked tooth removed today, it was not to bad, my jaw aches and I've got to take it easy for a few days, no gardening,  that's going to be fun.

Flowers

We popped to a different garden centre yesterday, I got a pack of 6 primroses for the back section of the garden, I plan to pop them in the front of the bed with the rhubarb in. For now we can have instant colour, they can stay in this dish for a few weeks.  I also got 3 packs of seeds, all were half price, a low spend visit. 

My pot is looking good, some of the bulbs are starting to show, should be nice for weeks to come. There are no drainage holes in this pot, so regularly I am tipping out water.

My repotted plants are doing well, as are my alpine cuttings I took ages ago, still tiny, each plants had a nice root, so they should all take. My greenhouse is ready for seeds once I can start them, they are sorted into sowing months.

Daughter popped in with George and Molly on Tuesday, it was nice enough to play outside, both got their Pepper Pig balls out and played football, it's so pleasing to see them run around with out any different levels to trip them up. Loads of laughter and lots of sad faces when mummy said it was time to pick up Will from school. 

I walked to our library to return some books, I did not get any more as I have a few to read, I prefer to pop in often to see if they have anything new, they generally pop them out on Mondays. We  have not been to the village much, what few bit's of shopping required we got from the local Co-op, which is the opposite direction, often ensuring it's on the final section of our daily walk, hubby has now used his voucher. 

I have done more on my 2022 book, I am half way through the year, I am trying to have one morning a week sorting it, I would like to catch up this year. I have also been looking on my Pintrest page at cross stitch designs, the plan is forming, all I need to do is pick up my needle and get going. 

Tonight I am sleeping over at daughters for a couple nights, she has an appointment early tomorrow morning and is going out on Saturday evening, sadly daddy has been called into work for the weekend, so I am on nanna duties, which I love. I am looking forward to an evening together with daughter tonight, I will take a bottle of wine, won't be a late night as Molly is an early riser, and all Saturday together, I don't see so much of Will now he's at school. 

Garden dreams

The garden is untidy, we had a delivery of fence panels and post on Friday, we moved the bench, hubby propped the panels along the garage wall and painted them, 3 times. Pots are all popped up by my greenhouse, it's messy up there. Nothing much on the metal table, it's too wet for my summer pots to come out of the greenhouse.

The bench will stay here, to stop me from tripping over the post and kick panels, everything will be fitted on Tuesday. All the bulb leaves are going over in the side bed, soon I can get some plants in, I just want to see colour.

I just love this tiny section of the garden,

it makes me smile every time I pass. 

New strawberry tower is much better, I have stronger healthy plants with loads of flowers, 5 levels, a total of 16 plants, I have not put strawberries in the bottom layer, I have a few rockery plants there. 

All these were cutting, which I popped into my Sphagnum moss, which I keep very wet with rain water, it's in a big plant pot saucer in a corner of the greenhouse, and is thriving and roots the cuttings quickly and strongly. I got just one packet of moss from a licenced supplier in Northumberland a couple years ago, it is going to last me years, 

We spent Friday morning in the garden, I planted some bedding plants in the old herb garden, I also potted on a few plants, my new Azealia was pot bound, so I was pleased to get it sorted, the plant has loads of buds on. It looked like rain,  so we rested inside all afternoon, me sewing hubby reading, no rain it just got really cool.

I have mentioned before I dream of my perfect garden, which would mean the garage knocked down and a new building which incorporated a greenhouse and potting shed, along the back fence, it's never going to happen, but I can dream. One job hubby wants done next year is to remove all the decking and have paving, which is making us think, sadly we rarely use the wooden table and chairs on the decking the flies and smell from next door is bad in the sunny hot weather. 

So being me I threw a completely new idea to hubby, which moves the patio to infront of the garage, on the other side of the garden, just have a wide walk, in paving outside the patio doors, and move the lawn down closer to the house and make it wider, with a flower bed at the back. That would give me more space at the back of the garden, room for a couple of small raised veg beds. 

Hubby is still talking to me, we have paced it out, it could work, we could reuse the decking boards to make raised beds, use some of the fake grass for paths in the veg section, lots of the work we could do ourselves. Just new paving and grass, all costing a bomb, so we would have to save like mad. If it went ahead I would want it done next spring, so I can move plants before they are in full growth, hubby is still talking to me, I can see him working out how much work it would take. 

October blooms

 There is so much colour in my greenhouse, my tender plants are still blooming, the bright colours can be seen from every part of the garden. These are on the top shelf and will stay there all winter.

This coleus is full of flower, there are 3 plants in this tub, it will get very straggly over winter, I hope it survives enough to take cuttings in the spring. I have managed to keep them alive before, it's another plant hubby loves.

These cuttings are mixed results, a few have died but loads are thriving, roses are doing well as is a white lavender. I think sphagnum moss is a great medium for growth, it's in a huge deep plant pot saucer,  I only use rainwater and I have a plastic cover over it to keep it moist, it sits raised off the floor in a shady spot, I think next spring I will get another pack and double my capacity.

Another huge success is this Albuca Spiralis Frizzle Sizzie, its a bulb and after thinking I was loosing the plant, I read up about its care, they do die off, but with good conditions they regrow. Hopefully I can bring it into my office so and enjoy it every day, it does love the sunny warm spot on my desk.

I ordered a storage box for behind the garage, it will help keep the space clean, I got it from Wowcher, but was cross at the delivery charge, you purchase the voucher and then redeem with the seller, there was no delivery charge in original selling details, OK that's not an issue, extra few pounds still makes it cheap, but I had to pay £14.99 for delivery, which I think is way too much. Note to self delete Wowcher, not such good value. The storage box will be my junk area, I can store bigger pots and other stuff I don't want all around the garden, everyone needs a space for useful junk. 

I did plant my pansies in the garden and a couple of violas and cyclamen in pots, I won't add anymore, my garden is too small to have space for too much winter colour, I do leave the plants not cut back, hoping there is food there for the birds and bugs, I do like to see the spines and branches bare in the cold months, I think it give the garden interest. I have not sorted the greenhouse yet, maybe next week, I'm still aware of my back and don't want to do anything stupid. 

Busy crafting and reading, my second sock is almost finished, I have plans for another pair for SIL, he loves previous pairs I have made him. My cross stitch is growing, I'm thinking of the next design,  photo's next post.

I went to sign group yesterday, which was fun, I've not missed much as they are revisiting previous class topics. Today we have Molly on her own, Will is at school and George at nursery,  should be fun, loads of books and games, Molly loves books. We are trying to choose nursery photos, we both love different photos.

Growing

 I said in my last post I had taken cuttings for plants along the soon to be exposed back fence panels, I'm trying something different, I got sphagnum moss last year, I have kept it in a huge plant saucer, keeping it wet with rain water. I have popped all my cuttings in it, in hope they grow sturdy roots, I don't expect success with everything,  but hope some will grow, I have a plastic cover for when it gets cooler. They have been here a few days and still look good.

I have repotted our rosemary plant into a bigger pot, the pot was from the front garden, the heather's had died and hubby did not want it. This section is looking nice, we moved another big pot to stand by the gate, without the motorbike, I can spread out in this space. When digging out the heather's 2 had new growth, I have potted them and left them in front of the Olive.

Hubby did clear the first space in the garage for my shed things, I love this wooden unit, it's very useful, I emptied it before moving it, gave it a good clean using linseed oil, and then sorted everything before filling it. Loads have been thrown and a few other things have found a home here. Hubby has to sort a couple of his shelves, he is sourcing some longer planks, so I can have both shelves above. We have had this unit since the late 80's, and I'm pleased it's still in use, now all our gardening items are together in one place. I still have loads to bring out of the shed.

My shed was purchased back in 2014, so 8 years old, it fits into the space behind the garage, but as it's such a tight fit, we can't get to do outside maintenance, since Pauline built her summer house with a rubber roof covering, the rain water blows directly onto the back of my shed. Hubby will help me clear the rest of the stuff. 

It's much darker earlier each evening, my lights around the garden are on much longer, now the mornings and evenings are cooler, any warmth in the daytime quickly disappears. We still have our summer quilt on the bed, but it is defiantly cooler, the season is changing. Shh! we have not had rain for a couple of days, managed to get all the laundry day. 

I have lost my way with lowspend-nospend September, with my sister here we spent more on food, and this weekend we have husbands son and daughter here for lunch, 8 adults and 8 children plus us, again expensive, hubby is hoping we can have a simple BBQ, with the children playing in the garden. I also purchased the christmas fabric, and I will need some pansies for the garden as I sort the rose bed. 

Today my youngest daughter is 40 years old, how did that happen, both daughters have their own families and lives, we see our youngest 3 grandchildren most weeks, our oldest 2 grandsons are busy with their lives, so we don't get to see them, but they prosper and are happy. As a mum all you want is for you children and their children to be happy. 

What's in the greenhouse

I was asked what do I grow in my greenhouse, I've not done a post for a while, so nearing the end of June, here's peak inside. On the left is my work space, this side often changes through out the year. The lower shelf is my plastic pots and jugs and sprayer. Underneath I keep some of my spare stones, slate and crock. 

I do love my carnivorous plants, there are 3 in this little tub, I keep it topped up with rain water, each plant has flowered this year, the Venus fly trap has shrunk, but there is new growth there, I cut the pitcher plant down each spring, the furry plant, I'm not sure what it is called, they all work hard and keep bugs at bay. 

I love this Jade plant, it's in a pretty biscuit pot, it has lived in here for a few years. 

Always loads of cuttings and plants from the garden which are not doing well outside. I have a baby pineapple and some amaryllis seeds all doing their own thing. In the spring these will spill onto the shelf below, I never have enough space. 

In here are the Hellebore seeds from my black flowering plant, I suspect they need the cold of winter before the shoot, I have plenty of time to see if they will grow.  

To the right are the cactus and succulent displays, this side stays much the same, I have a couple of smaller wire shelves to display some of my smaller plants. This is the sunnier side of the greenhouse. 

I regularly get blooms on these plants, and always have different pots, I love the gravy boat, purchased at a charity shop for £1, the plants in the gravy boat are new to me this year. 

My spider plant I over watered when in the house, so I cut it back and popped in in a shadier spot, it's now ready to go back in the house. 

I grow both 1 plant of cucumbers and tomatoes, both this summer inside, both are doing well, I have already cut some small cucumbers from the bottom of the plant, once they touch the soil they rot, so best to remove them early. 

Tucked to one side are my 3 Amaryllis, they flowered in January, so I popped the bulbs in here to dry and each bulb have produced new leaves, no bud stems. Plus 4 Orchids, they are tucked in the shade, I am hoping for new growth at some point. These sit on the floor at the back in front of my potting table, and loads of clay pots, most purchased 2nd hand. 

This lemon balm is in a pot with no holes in the bottom, and got waterlogged in the recent storms, it can stay in here to dry out. This plant if planted in our clay soil would take over the whole garden. 

I love these pots, they are washing up bowls, from our local cheap shop, in this one I have salads growing, spring onions, radishes and cut and come again lettuce. At £2.29 per 'pot' they are great value.

This beautiful string of pearls has hung in here for years, the pearls always fade in the summer but they do come back, this was my mother plant, I have 4 others around the place. Behind is another waterlogged pot, should dry out OK. Also coffee pot filters, I dry them out and use them in bottom of pots, they slow down the flow of water out of the pots. 

It's not as full as other years, most of my plants are strong enough to be out in the summer garden, I have lemon, lime and orange plants, who spend most of the year inside, all grown from seeds, my olive and pomegranate trees now stays outside the whole year. I do have other tender plants which will come back inside September time.

For once I have space to walk around, the floor is concrete, so it stays dry and clean in here, I don't shade the glass as our Magnolia tree gives shade for part of the day, the door is open 24 hours at this time of the year and the window has an automictic opener, so most of the time it does not overheat. 

I have started my hotbin, followed all the instructions, it's a case of wait and see if the temperature rises, I still have stuff in my white garden bag, I will pop it out next week for collection and then hopefully I won't need it again. I am checking and pleased to see the temperature gauge is rising, it is on the lid so I don't have to open it to check.