It doesn’t happen very often that I get to spend all day in the garden. Usually it’s either the morning or the afternoon. But today was a special day, and the weather was dry, so what better place to be then in the garden. Before I started on the garden, I got rid of a load of garden waste at the tip this morning, and because I’ve been in the garden all day, I’ve got more to take to the tip tomorrow. I’ve bought a couple of the fabric Hippobags from B&Q. They’re really good, and I can fit 2 of the midi sized ones in the boot of our car. They should last for ages, so that should make taking all that garden waste to the tip much easier. Once in the garden, I finished off “Ivy Corner”, so I won the war on that area. Although there is a little section of root that I can’t get out, so I’ll have to get some weed killer and finish the ivy off that way.
I then moved onto “Exotic Bed”. I removed all sorts of unwanted weeds and yet more ivy. But the bed is very large, so any of the ivy at the very back can stay as it’s creating some ground cover so will stop the weeds from growing through. I pruned various plants, and now it looks much neater. The bare soil that is now showing, I’ll fill in, using some of the plants that I bought with me. So it’ll look much better soon, and less naked.
So all in all, a very productive day. Now I really should go and have a bath before I start dinner as I’m very dirty.
Clairesallotment's Blog 
I can’t wait to see how you plant that enclosed corner, I’m guessing it won’t get too much light. Thanks for the frequent posts!
I’ve been having a think about that corner, and have made a decision. I’m not going to tell you now, but put it in my next video. But I have a plan and I like to think it’s a good one.
I can’t wait, my wife and I really appreciate the videos and blog posts; even more so now that you and Mark have fulfilled an armchair dream of ours to buy a barn conversion (we love “Escape to the Country”). If you’re interested in my thoughts on the corner, as its near the house would if be a good idea to put up a gutter and collect the rain water in a double rain barrel? I love mine and use them first when watering my greenhouse and container plants. Have a great weekend, Mike
Claire, wow that corner really looks much better. Now if you can keep that ivy from coming back, it will be even better. I’m six years into my garden and still am chopping out vine sprouts in the Spring. Usually the vines go dormant when the new growth is chopped off and the root is dug out but the next Spring a new sprout comes up in a different spot. My garden spot was covered with tough vines. I think it was wild grape vines although I never saw any grapes so I’m not sure what they are. I suspect it will be a never ending battle to keep them at bay in my garden.
I bet you are really enjoying just walking out the door an being in your garden. I really makes a difference when the garden is close and doesn’t take a special effort to get there. Right now Terra Nova Gardens is suffering because of the distance. It takes about 20 minutes to get there. I like to have at least two to three hours to make it worth the effort.
Have a great ivy battling day in the garden.
I bought some serious week killer this morning, so hopefully it’ll work. I will persevere until it’s all gone. The joy of being able to pop in and out of the garden is wonderful. I can chat to myself until my hearts content and no one wonders if I’m strange. Then when nature calls, I can pop in to use a lovely clean toilet and not a stinky chemical loo that always breaks. It’s bliss. Strange those things that make us happy.