Survivors!

Well, time at last to venture out into the garden and take stock. After such a harsh winter – and with the ground frozen hard again this weekend – I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

But life is amazing. Already little bits of green are appearing. And I’m not just talking the daffodil stalks. Tiny new leaves appeared as I began to clear away the tangled brown slush that had once been hardy geranium. The first primroses are starting to flower. And, most unexpected of all, the parsley in the hanging basket just outside my kitchen door is still going strong. From frozen parsley to green and growing. It even tastes good, too.

And so to the polytunnel. This is the first real year of the polytunnel and I’m beginning to get excited about the growing season ahead. I’ve cleared out the old manky stuff, leaving just the vine hanging on in there. It needs a good dig over and then it will be ready.

I haven’t quite decided yet where to start with the seeds and how to make best use of the polytunnel yet. But I do know the first thing I’ve going to do is to sort out an irrigation system. So much for the romantic idea of standing there each evening lovingly waving the hose to the soothing strains of Mozart on the iPod.

I mean, just who was I kidding? I’ve got as much energy as I ever did – more, even, it seems at times. But I do need rather more rest and recovery time in between. And why is it that you seem to have so much more to do as you get older? Between work and the long walks needed to keep a collie happy, training sessions to keep the collie brain out of trouble, ensuring the house doesn’t fall down and the car stays on the road and the rest of the garden doesn’t turn into a jungle – oh, and that little thing called socialising – standing watering a polytunnel every day needs to be as painless as possible.

So irrigation systems and planning in the warm it is, for the moment. I want to make the rest of the garden more productive this year, too. So plenty of reading and planning ahead!

I wonder if that parsley will survive?

Welcome 2011!

My poor polytunnel,

It has, I should hastily add, survived its first experience of deep snow. A polytunnel in Narnia. I brushed off the really heavy fall, then left the second, not so heavy, layer, as insulation at protection against ice.

The structure is intact. The overflowing nasturtiums are not. Ah well. I had planned to plant winter greens and salad. Perhaps it’s as well that life took over and I didn’t quite get round to this. I have a feeling any greens would have gone the same way as the nasturtiums. Mind you, the veg box is still going strong, winter greens and all. But then they have much bigger polytunnels. (Well, that’s my excuse, anyhow.)

But at least it’s up and ready for action. Having missed the early growing season last year because I ended up getting the polytunneltoo late, this is going to be the year of the polytunnel. The year it really comes into its own.I might even get some grapes.

Well, at least I did manage to keep to the resolution of making preserves and sloe gin for Christmas presents.The Ginger andRhubarb jam didn’t quite make it. It wasfar too nice, and the little bit left has already been opened. The spiced plum chutney, on the other hand, has survived. It was gorgeous, but thanks to a friend with a glut of plums, I made so much it actually lasted.

And the sloe gin? Not quite as good as last year, when the sloes up here were juicy and plentiful. But pretty tasty, though I say so myself. And definitely went down a treat as Christmas presents.

I did stick my nose outside today. It was dry, and the birds were singing. There was even the faintest sniffof spring in the air. But there was ice on the pond and it was a bit too cold for the comfort-loving gardener. So the dire mess of rotting leaves the snow and ice have left behind can wait until another day.

Meanwhile, I’ve got freshly ground fairtrade coffee, the last of the seasonal chocolate, and the future of a polytunnel to plan.

Welcome 2011!