Spring in Isolation

Actually we've hardly noticed that we are in isolation as we have been doing gardening, gardening and more gardening. The weather has been perfect for the last three weeks and we have been able to devote all our energies to the land. There is always so much that we want to do at this time of year and normally we just don't have enough time. But of course, this year is different. After planting up the beds adjacent to the prairie I have been redesigning the Christo bed (the one behind the barn with clashing colours). We enlarged the bed over the winter (having reduced it a few years ago) as I thought it was not in proportion.  I am hopeless at designing on paper so I used the paper to note where I wanted the plants to go and stuck the sheets in the ground.

 

The majority of plants were sourced from other parts of the garden and have had to be watered every day because we have had no rain. The under gardener has been mowing and edging for days, no small task in our hectare of ground. We think it looks the best it ever has so it is rather ironic that we will not be opening it this year.  (The OpenGarden scheme has been suspended for 2020.) However we create the garden for our own pleasure and sharing it for charity is a bonus.

As it's spring the wildlife has been very active and watching it gives us constant pleasure. Well, most of the time. On Friday I went to the compost heap at the end of the alley and was very perturbed to hear grunting coming from the adjacent bushes. I beat a hasty retreat as I know we have wild boar around and did not want to encounter a grumpy one. We regularly see the deer and they have been well behaved and not eaten any of the plants I have moved. So far!! The kestrels are again nesting in the house wall and a red start has taken over an old nest behind the light in the porch.