Clematis planted

FINALLY got the first clematis in the ground.

I had to get a few sacks of compost, so got x3 75litre bags of peat free compost for £10 at B&Q.
Also got some Bone meal to mix in, and some General Purpose food.
Started digging the hole last night, but I was right about the rubble just under the surface from when the house was built last year, so today bought a pick, and that was SO much easier than a fork, even though it still hurts now Ive stopped :-)

Dug about 50cm across and 50cm down. Then half filled with compost, and a handful of bone meal, and topped it up with soil and added some food. Last 10cm was bark chipping mulch, then watered it in. Whole thing surrounded with some lawn edging.
I then built the trellis from bamboo, which I prefer as I think it looks more natural than squared off trellis or plastic mesh, and doesnt need treating every year.
I'm very happy with the result.

SPRING!

Certainly been lovely and sunny, even if still rather cool.
Been out in the garden today. Tackled clearing the shed but will finish it off tomorrow, so now I can actually get into it and get my bike out.
Put all the gardening bits and pieces into the plastic storage box I bought.
I plan to get another one to put the table and chairs and candles etc into on the decked balcony.

Hannah's Bulbs are coming up nicely, although the Irises we bought have turned out to be Hyacinths, but we cant remember were we bought them :-)


The herb pot seems to have done well too, filling out nicely :-)


Pruned the roses back. Hope Ive done it right, fed them too.

Also fed the Rhododendrons. They seem to have done well and established ok since we got them and potted them up on the balcony.


Getting the water hose sorted. Been a pain as I don't have an outside tap, so needed adaptors to go on our odd shaped kitchen tap, and out the window.
Nearly got it done.

I really MUST get round to putting those x4 clematis in the ground. They did survive the winter very well in thier pots and even have some new growth on them. I think Ive been putting it off because I'm damn sure that under a couple inches of top soil I'm going to find all the rubble and cement the builders dumped around the building when it was finished last year.
I'm just not looking forward to the digging.
Plus I seem to have 3 major drains running though my garden, somewhat narrowing my options.

Baby Update

Hannah is now 6 months pregnant. Things looking very 'real' now :-)
So many things to sort out and do, but so little time in the day!
Got a pram Travel system thing. Aint they expensive!