The never ending story

This was the result of my efforts yesterday. Same routine as before .... the black sheet was cut back, the perennial weeds (now severely weakened by at least 6 months light starvation) were carefully dug up, roots and all, 300 litres of compost added (from my own bin), and then the plants went in.

This bed consists of a pear and an apricot tree. The pear has been fruiting for nearly 4 years at least, the apricot went in recently. I have now added the last of my Hebe cuttings from last year (well established plants now), and I am in the process of filling the temporary gaps with annuals.

To the left of the border, is our black currant bushes (and also a couple of red currant bushes).

I don't know what the annuals are. I collected one seed head from one flower last autumn and sowed it this spring. It has resulted in 330 little plants. Absolutely amazing success rate! (Our soil is very heavy clay, and direct sowings just don't work, so we sow into seed trays and modules for transplanting later). The flowers will be yellow/orange in colour.

I still have another 270 of these annuals to plant out in this border.

We still have 3 more island beds to create in the orchard area (to the far right of this photo ... out of shot). We still have LOTS of plants to find a home for.

We are trying to "run down" the stock inside the greenhouses with a view to getting the tomato, peppers and aubergines in there instead.

No time to plant out the perennials around the pond just yet (future Blip) ... just potting them on as and when necessary.

Still want to extend the pond this year.

Lots to do ... not enough time.