The promise of a sunny Summer’s day.

Such a beautiful sunny Sunday morning greeted us here in the valley today. Very still and calm, not a leaf was stirring on the trees. Early morning sunshine casting dappled shade. The promise of a good day to come.

Beyond the trees the shrub border looks fresh and green. The early morning dew still on the leaves. In another hour this will be in full sun.

Daphne is out early too, she comes over and looks at me in a sort of puzzled way. Probably wondering what I’m doing… up and out and about so early. Such amazing growth with everything this year. Look how high the grass is in this field.

The Sycamore tree casts it’s shade over the steps to the chalet. The air is still… allowing the signing of the birds to be heard… crisp and clear…and beautiful.

The promise of a Summer’s day.

The gravel garden has taken well. Planted about a year ago everything is now starting to establish and spread. Sedums have done particularly well…I do love them. So easy to propogate and of course they are a real Butterfly magnet when they are in flower.

Lots of Succulents in pots too although some have jumped from the pots onto the ground below. I remember the walk through the bog in Tipperary collecting the Bog Oak for this little corner garden with my brother Tommy. Happy thoughts on a bright Summer morning.

Yes…all is well…everything is still…and calm…and green. We have the promise of a sunny Summer’s day…

Strimming & Mulching @ Prospect Cottage.

We awoke to another beautiful sunny morning here in Arigna. The heat is really building in the polytunnels and everything in there has really taken off. Lots of pricking out and potting on to do. All the outdoor fruit bushes have leafed up and fruit buds will be following soon. We will have to be vigilant for frosts, even a sheet of newspaper held on with clothes pegs is enough to keep off the frost at this time of year.

Strimming the rushes is another annual job to be done here. When we bought this place the rushes had’nt been cut for years and were about five feet tall. That first year our neighbour cut them with a tractor and mower, Andy now strims them once or twice a year and the difference is amazing. The rushes are’nt as strong growing and the cutting has given the grass a chance to come on. Three fields that were just full of rushes have now become fairly decent pasture.

So, what to do with all those rushes? They can be left in situ where they will rot down fairly quickly and provide some fertility. We collect them to use for mulch, particularly around the fruit trees and bushes. As you can see from the above pic above we have already started this years mulching. Now is a good time to mulch as the soil has warmed up and is still damp. Mulching conserves moisture, keeps down weeds and ultimately rots down thus improving soil structure and fertility. It also protects plants during the Winter reducing the effects of frost.