Aren't the above little flowery pansy faces adorable? They don't belong to me, I spotted them in my neighbours front garden this morning and tiptoed in to photograph them. It's been a terrific day here, really, really lovely! Not only was it dry for the whole day, but it was also properly warm for the first time in many, many weeks. It felt absolutely wonderful to walk across town in the late morning with No Coat for a change, gosh I even rolled up my sleeves to let some air to my skin. The warm sun and blue sky made me want to skip with happiness, truly it did.
I had an hour or so to myself this morning with Little B away at playgroup, so I made the very most of the weather and decided to spend it being busy outside. Pretty much as soon as I walked back through the door, I dumped my shopping bags, flung on my dirty gardening apron, rolled up my sleeves and got stuck in.
I've been wanting to get going with my back yard for weeks, but the weather has not been kind. As I am currently shed-less I cannot carry out garden tasks in the wet. It just isn't doable. I do have this ok little area with benches and stuff to work on, but it would be so much better if there was a roof.
But today I didn't need a roof and it was perfect for a little bit of Back Yard Busy.
My first job was to pot on my lovely basil seedlings, oh I've been worrying my heart over these little things as they began to grow leggy and crowded in their small two inch pot in the kitchen. I desperately needed to give them room to stretch their roots and grow, but I've been scuppered by not having any compost (not an easy thing to cart home in the pushchair), and not having the right weather to see to them. Thank goodness they now have a bright yellow pot each, and their new greenhousey home to keep them snug for a few more weeks until it warms up a bit outside.
My nasturtium, cosmos and morning glory seedlings which were sown in March were also in dire need of more space. They germinated and grew well on my kitchen windowsill, but had become a little lanky and spindly (should have been potted on weeks ago of course). So I'm hoping that they'll be OK now that they also have new pots and a cosy home on the greenhouse shelves.
After the emergency re-housing of seedlings, I was still buzzing with the joy of being outside with the sun on my face and my hands in the soil. I wanted to plant more seeds, but time had run out and I was forced to wash my dirty hands and dash across town to collect Little B. I couldn't wait to get back and pick up where I left off, this time accompanied by my Little Helper.
I decided to go with some edibles today. These seeds are all left over from previous years, and I can't tell you how good it felt to be actually Doing Things with them instead of just gazing at the packets. Yippeee for Actually Doing Things!!!! So yeah, edibles....I planted some dwarf French beans look, purple and yellow ones (variety Purple Queen and Sonesta)....
...I also sewed some rocket seeds and some kind of mixed salad leaves that I found. Looking forward to a little bit of scissor-snipping in weeks to come, I am really rather excited at the prospect of eating my very own Home Grown produce.
A few more flower seeds were sown into my windowsill pots too...Nigella (variety Midnight Blue) and Rudbeckia (variety Rustic Dwarf). Busy-busy in my backyard today folks, I was really on a roll. Oh and I also sewed some sunflower seeds into my collection of empty toilet roll tubes. These were also seeds that I bought last year but failed to open, and they are not your average sunflowers. Nope, these are red ones called "Evening Sun", and I am so willing them to work out. I need them in my life, I really do.
This is my new greenhouse in action, and I am sooooo pleased with it! It cost £10 from a local discount shop, and is just perfect for what I need. I took some advice from friends and a) lined the shelves with bubble wrap to keep off the chill (our nights are still very cold here) and b) weighted the whole shebang down with a few spare bricks and bags of compost to prevent Blowing Away accidents.
Awwww my little plantlets look so happy in their new cosy home! Grow little plants, grow.
I love it when a day turns out to be so full and productive and satisfying. Sometimes being Busy is really very good indeed, especially when it's the outdoor variety.
Tiring though, cripes, I was proper worn out by 2.30 when all was done and dusted. Thirsty too, I was overcome with a sudden craving for a cold glass of juice, and I never normally drink juice at all. So I walked with Little B down to the newsagent at the bottom of the street and purchased a bottle of Robinsons apple and blackcurrant. He was thrilled at the whole idea of buying and drinking juice as it's normally strictly water and milk here. His juice-drinking face was a picture of pure pleasure, I wish you could've seen him. The juice was good I have to say. And I loved the colour of it glowing all pink in the sun.
Sigh. It's been such a lovely day, did I say that already?
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ps suddenly had this warm fuzzy thought about going outside in the morning to unzip my greenhouse and chat to my plantlets/seeds. Can't wait!
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Posted by: Castle Clash Hack | November 29, 2013 at 01:49 AM
Hi Lucy
another unusually coloured sunflower might be variety ' Earthwalker'. They have the lovely red-brown petals and look so good in the summer. I sowed some this year, and they are beautiful, basking in the sun.
Posted by: Verity | October 27, 2012 at 04:49 PM
Your green house looks so cheery with all it's little occupants! :) I hope they have a lovely time in there and grow like crazy. Yay for growing things yourself! :)
Posted by: Niki | May 22, 2012 at 01:47 PM
Isn't the color of the pansy's just beautiful, not seen any that color before. I had a few nasturtium growing, I pulled them all out around a month ago, they have self sown and I have around 40 plants now and much sturdier than the original, I am going to have to be ruthless and pull some out as they are strangling other little plants, although since tidying up the garden I have some spare spots for them. I do love a pretty garden and to look out of a window and see flowers.
Your garden is going to look very lush with flowers before long.
xx sandi
Posted by: Sandi Lee | May 19, 2012 at 09:24 AM
What a busy and wonderful day !
Posted by: Sonia Petitpoint | May 19, 2012 at 08:39 AM
It all looks glorious!So glad the weather's breaking your way.I've got most of mine all set out now,a few peppers left to grow a little bigger,posted some pics of my garden on Flickr,if your interested,baby squash and zucchini already,can't wait til they're big enough to pick..yum!Potatoes,tomatoes,corn etc..Happy gardening!
Posted by: angela-southern USA | May 18, 2012 at 06:23 PM
Ooooh I adore this post. I love my meadow right now. Yard that is.
That is the coolest little green house. Awesome day.
Thank you for your time.
Posted by: Jan honeycutt | May 18, 2012 at 06:17 PM
Hi Lucy,
I have been following your blog for some time now. I live in California, but my homeland is Wales. I love seeing all the colors of your photo's, it makes me quite homesick sometimes. A little taste of home. We will be visiting for a month in August and hope to bring the sunshine with us.
Wishing you luck with all your seedlings. x
Posted by: Sue | May 18, 2012 at 06:06 PM
Sometimes you just have to get dirty to get happy!!
Posted by: Helen Spencer | May 18, 2012 at 04:08 PM
I love your new green house! I need one! - with two small boys running around the place glass is out of the question. Good luck with your basil plants, I'm a sort of a serial killer when it comes to basil!! - whether I grow it from seed (which very rarely works) or buy a healthy green and scented plant, it's days are always numbered with me. Any tips?
Posted by: Emma | May 18, 2012 at 02:04 PM
I realy like you Lucy... I'm here only to told you!
Congratulations!
A great hug!
Posted by: Ana | May 18, 2012 at 01:26 PM
I'm so sorry to pop onto this post asking this question but I cannot seem to find the answer on your site. When making the triangle bunting, how did you keep them from curling? I took the idea for a friends newborn boy and I made one with soccer balls, basketballs and baseballs. But they tend to curl a bit and I'm trying to find a way to keep them hanging flat. The baby shower is in 2 weeks, hope you can offer some advice. Thank you for your time!
Posted by: Monica | May 18, 2012 at 03:03 AM
It was lovely, wasn't it? (shame it's back to normal today!) When it all goes beautifully like your day did, you really are 'in the zone' as they say; a special time to look back on.
Your mini green-house looks good - be very careful about the blowing -away thingy, mine got ripped to shreds...or at least the cover did!
Posted by: Lynne Gill | May 18, 2012 at 12:02 AM
Yep, I like unzipping our greenhouse too!
Although we have a little more room than you (but not enough space for a permanent full-sized greenhouse) we started with a £10 one like yours a couple of years ago, then progressed to the next size up where you can stand in it plus shelves either side (£20). This year we upgraded again and got a 6' x 4' zip-up greenhouse for £40 and we love it. You can hide in it, do potting up and watch the seedlings grow without being soaked in this horrid weather. Radio on, mug of tea and away you go! Brilliant!
Your seedlings will come on in leaps and bounds now that they have plenty of outdoor light.
B x
Posted by: Bev | May 17, 2012 at 08:48 PM
Oooh looks like SOOO much fun!!
Posted by: Molly | May 17, 2012 at 08:37 PM
Dear Lucy I spent last Sunday clearing my little patch and taking out a fencing panel that was broken. Now i need to order some more. Think I'll
be taking a trip to the local gardening shop this weekend for some herbs or something I can grow on the window sill as it is still very chilly in the evenings and first thing in the mornings. Where is summer hiding?xx
Posted by: Sarah west mids uk | May 17, 2012 at 08:34 PM
So much pleasure in a little soil and some seeds. Happy plant growing (and cultivating in time).
Posted by: Julie | May 17, 2012 at 08:05 PM
Lucy, this is terrific news on the weather front. We just came home to California from a visit with our friends in London. All the talk was of the unrelenting cold and rain. We like to think we brought them a little California sunshine. There were several dry days and the past weekend was even quite sunny all day while we visited Cambridge. I loved how late it stays daylight there - enjoy that. Ha!
I love our blog! Are you planning things for the Queen's Jubilee? :-)
Posted by: Karen L. | May 17, 2012 at 07:01 PM
Hello Lucy! The pansies are lovely, they always make me think of my grand-ma as they are her favorite flowers. I love cosmos too. I spent a few hours in my garden yesterday as the weather was at last beautiful. I always feel better after gardening and reading your post I feel fine too. So peaceful!
Posted by: Rose-Marguerite | May 17, 2012 at 06:50 PM
Lucy, re. the basil, I once passed a house with the most amazing basil plants in the window,and it turned out an Italian family lived there. Their technique was to use big pots right from the start, sprinkle a generous amount of seeds on the compost and not bother with thinning or re-potting. I have since tried it, and have had the most amazing pots of basil that have lasted for ages.
Posted by: Kit | May 17, 2012 at 06:23 PM
Here's hoping all your plants grow beautifully Lucy! I also get the urge to talk to my plants which I consider to be perfectly normal ... I even play music to them too (but don't tell anyone please)...! lol x
Posted by: Laura Miller | May 17, 2012 at 05:12 PM
Hope the sun shines warmly on your lovely plants, and that you are rewarded for all your hard work with a lovely display of food and flowers in the weeks to come! It's so hard to get anything to grow in this weather isn't it? - let's keep our fingers crossed for some lovely warm sunny days! X
Posted by: Daisy Loves Knit and Stitch | May 17, 2012 at 05:11 PM
I love your sunny happy blog, the seedlings look lovely and makes me want to get out in my garden.
Posted by: Liesl | May 17, 2012 at 04:22 PM
On second look... am I spotting a collandier for a planter... Off to the Good Will Thrifty this morning on the search. What a great idea. Now, let's see what else I spot this sun beautiful morning here in HobbitLand. Yes, you still are a true blue Hobbit living in a world of inspirations. Dream Big and Dream On.....
Posted by: Kate - The Garden Bell | May 17, 2012 at 03:40 PM
Greetings from Philadelphia Lucy! I love the pansies. Such a pretty variety. I adore your garden too. You have a fantastic eye for color and placement and it shows in all you do. I am off for my first breath of Sea air for the season to Cape May, NJ. I hope your weekend is just as enjoyable. Thanks for sharing your life with us all:)
Posted by: Deborah | May 17, 2012 at 02:45 PM