I’m beginning to think that the compost bins are cursed. First, the screws were lost, then it rained and rained, this week the screw bit for drill vanished.

Instead of building the compost bins, we weeded the rose garden and pond area. I dug up the two rose bushes that weren’t growing this year and planted the 3 lavender plants, that were in pots and needed to be in the ground, in that area, I re-sited a verbena to the corner and also planted some bulbs. The other thing we did was move all the stones around the pond, weeded and laid some weed fabric around it, then replaced the stones, we need to collect more stones for that area but this way will be slightly less weedy.

We moved the bricks at the front of that bed to the side and put some more woodchip on that side path. The plan is to have a patio that runs the length of the rose garden and pond and I’m hopeful that the plants will spread and cover more of the ground. It’s a work in progress but it’s a much tidier work in progress now.

We planted the shallot sets and most of the onion sets.

I feel like we have 101 things to do right now and I keep having new ideas! Priority for next week, are the compost bins and sowing the broad beans. I really need to paint the shed and then I think the rest of the month is about weeding and if there is anymore woodchip, more of it on the paths.

Other building work that it would be nice to do before Christmas, is building the third bed next to the two new ones, and dividing the remaining big squash bed but that requires some weeding at the side of the plot.

All of that but especially the weeding should take us to Christmas. In January, we’ll need to start thinking about a massive compost delivery, a patio and I have some plans for the beds on the old half that will make growing cabbages and cauliflowers easier.

One day, I’ll have done all I want to do and I’ll just grow stuff…honest..