My hardest job yet!!

So someone on the allotments has given up their plot and everything on their allotment was put up for a closed bid. I really fancied an extra greenhouse so bid on this and won the bid (I was the only bidder mind you!)

Anyway my Dad was having a driveway put in and so the kerbing stones which were taken out the builders said I could have...grat for the greenhouse base. I have four and they weigh ten stone each so that greenhouse will be going nowhere!!

So the hard bit was getting the blocks up to the relevant plot and into the ground...hard but worth it!
I have to say it was made a little easier as the builders bought the blocks down from my dads to the end of the allotments in the bucket of the dump truck.

Okay so the pictures are pretty boring...but you get the idea...digging the holes was made easier with the help of the tiller!

Now all that's left to do is get the greenhouse...I'll show you where it is,

It's all the way over next to the bee plot...

Nope...still a bit further....

and there you have it! Quite
a way to carry it but I  think
it will be a relatively easy
move!
.

A couple of newbies!!

Well new to me anyway!!

Petrol lawn mower.

 A friend went 'home' a few months ago....her whole family went too and there they will stay. 'Home' was back to New Zealand so they didn't want to take this with them and asked me if I would like it. Thanks Jenny and Darren...it works a treat....even when tackling the jungle which was Juliette's friends garden!!

Mantis tiller.

So you all know I had one of these...then it got stolen last year...then Hubby got me a brand new one for christmas. I am very happy and it is about to get some serious use!!!!
.

Bud Up!!

Apricot tree blossom.

Budding Conference pear.

Is it a Victoria plum or a Damson??

Lovely apples.

Brambly good!

.

A week late...but at least I'm awake!!

So this post was actually supposed to go up last week...before I went back to work but I just couldn't stay awake long enough.

Going back to work last Monday actually gave me a chance to rest and recuperate a little to be honest!!

I will keep it pretty brief for you all and share a few pics too.

So the second week of my hols was extremely busy....even more so than the first week.

Helping a friend to move a ton (literally) of gravel.
Helping same friend sort out her shed and fill the empty ton bag to the brim with rubbish.
Still helping the same friend sort her friends garden out as it had no purpose and she didn't know where to start.

That was without the bit of time I did get to spend down the plot, helping my Dad lay some grass and an emergency vet visit!!

As you can imagine I didn't get quite as much done as I wanted with all the helping and there is still the potatoe patch to be sorted but I'm still pretty happy with everything!!

You can see in this picture that I have the
middle stretch yet to prepare, this will be
where to potatoes will go this year so I
can weed as I plant.

I know you've seen this side already but
it now has a wonderful grass path down
the middle!! :-)

I will tell you more about my Dad's garden later in the week. I have also managed to get the bee plot mowed, finally got the logs from my Dad's garden moved down to the bee plot, got all the seeds planted in the greenhouse, Got Trojan a new 'tether' for the bee plot and also cleared half the weeds on the patch where the potatoes are going since these photos were taken.

It's been a weird week weather wise with sun, heat frost snow and hail....kind of normal for us Brits I guess!!

Hope you've all had a good weekend.
.

Half way....and then a bit less!!!

So I meant to write this post at the weekend but things have been busy, busy, busy, but in a good way!!

So by the weekend I was halfway through my easter vacation and exactly at the halfway point for my allotment preparations....as you can imagine I was delighted with this. After getting so little done last year due to everything else it was nice to be positive.

This is the prepared half, all dug and weeded
 ready for planting, just to the right you can
 see the garlic growing!

This is the half yet to be tackled, there are a
few brassicas still growing but not much else.

The weekend was warm enough to to the first hive inspection and this too was a halfway situation....two hives....one great....one with problems. I guess that's the way it goes. Annabel came and did a hive inspection for the first time this year too and her hive is looking great....she even brought her Nan down to show her the bees. Her nan did comment on how there were a lot of bees in the hives.......I did tell her this would now start to multiply rapidly with the warmer weather approaching.

Some re-caps for Annabel and answering
a few questions for Annabels Nan.

Annabel going through
her hive.

So that was Sunday...then Monday hit....Juliette had been busy digging and left huge clumps which needed to be broken down....rotovator time, of course Juliette wanted a little bit of a recap on how to use it so I obliged...and also gave her girls a go...and her Mother-in-law. It was a nice morning and everyone enjoyed having a go but needless to say I didn't get anything done on my plot so it put me a little behind schedule!!

You can clearly see the bit that
has been rotovated!!

Anyway since then I have managed to get some more of my plot done and although I am a little behind I have nothing on at the weekend so will have plenty of time to catch up.

So this is where I am at right now...it's a good and satisfying place to be.....I am optimistic that it is going to be a great growing season!!!
.