The first cut is the deepest..

Well technically speaking the first grass cut of the year was the highest (setting) not the deepest, but that just didn't roll off the tongue as well! According to Emma today was the first time I've been to the allotment this year! She's been beavering away down there though, I was impressed to see some wire defences she has built around the fruit trees, as well as a low defensive wall you can see in the photo below. I'm expecting a moat next.
On closer inspection you can see that set inside the defensive wall are logs with holes drilled in them, and canes. Apparently this is to encourage insects to nest there, presumably Emma is hoping for some sort of stinging or deadly insects that can be trained into an unwieldy army or something.
This final photo may look a bit odd, and that's because it is. I took this in the kind of pouring rain that would discourage even the hardiest of photographers from exposing their equipment to the elements. Fortunately for you (the reader) I'm more foolish than hardy, so I took some photos anyway!

Hopefully Emma will post soon and explain in proper gardening terms what she's been up to. Until then...

Now it's wet!

A complete change from yesterday and has forced us to review our plans for today. Tisk! I was hoping to prepare some ground for a low hedge of hyssop. We have a dozen to plant along the front of the plot and after the under gardener strained his back extending the strawberry patch last Sunday I was hoping to plant those last four plants too. Ah well - when working in the great outdoors it's less frustrating if you can be adaptable. There are other things to get ahead with when the weather becomes challenging, such as documenting last weeks efforts!
With the increasing pressure to keep control of our grassy plot (whilst gently bringing it into cultivation) we decided to invest in a rotary petrol mower. The under gardener was very excited about the prospect of creating a lawn fit for bowling - I fear he may be disappointed!
What is important is maintaining the grass to prevent it becoming wild and ultimately harder work for ourselves. This was so with a strimmer - good for trimming round the edges but far more tedious than strolling up and down with a lawnmower! So while he did that I began our no-dig mulching experiment.
I started by strimming the grass as short as possible, then took a large cardboard box, flattened out (tape and staples removed) and covered it. Next a layer of grass cuttings, followed by a layer of mushroom compost both several inches deep. Finally a bit of treading to consolidate the surface and hey presto looks like a well dug and prepared bit of land. Whether it works, we have yet to see. Hope its not all taken off in the wind!

Andrew, after injury, retired to the car to listen to the radio while I dug out the new site for the shed. Why he asked? It's a design thing I said. He groaned. I shrugged and got on with it.
Illogical or not I decided I didn't want it crammed in the corner like everyone else and besides it's not time wasted as the old site will be the comfrey patch instead.... as long as I hurry up and weed it.Coming soon in the next few weeks - shed building, hyssop, strawberry, comfrey and redcurrant planting, echinacea, foxglove and forget-me-not potting and most inevitably - weeding. Also looking forward to apple tasting days at Ken Muir to decide what we want to grow!