Making way for more herbs

I was telling you in my last blog that I was pruning. Well I have also been clearing.
I cleared away, with a huge help from my hubby, a very large and invasive "curry" plant. It was the silvery leaf version and really not of much use other than a scent of an Indian takeaway. It took up nearly one whole corner of my protected and most sacred space in the pixiepod garden. It had to go and it didn´t put up a fight either, which is always good.

As you can see from the photo, it has been replaced with some new herbs and flowers, they are just looking a bit plastic ridden at the moment, this way of using plastic water bottles is a common practice here in Tenerife, as the winds can be harse at times and until the plants are settled I like to nurture and protect them a little first.

It is a great time here in the garden. Blackbirds tooing and frowing with bits of twigs for their nests, and they are singing away to each other, it is trully wonderful!

Busy times in the Pixiepod garden

Hello and a big Happy New Year!! Sorry it is a bit late this year, I have been busy with one thing and another, personal unrelated business.

Now I am busy with gardening business. At this time of year the garden always starts to talk to me. She´s gone mad?! Well maybe a little but what I mean is that the garden always needs changes made and this time of year is the best time to really get a look at the garden before all the plants go mad.

We have been busy sorting out a new potting up room. It was always there but it has been given a window the length of it and a new shelf large enough for lots and lots of wee seedlings.

I have been washing my pots so they are ready to receive the new earth and the new plants of this year.

Prunings have had to be made aswell. It may seem early to prune but I find myself doing this job a few times a year with certain plants. Bouganvillea is a perfect example of a plant that just benefits so much from regular and frequent prunings. Encouraging lots of new flowers and it helps to keep it from going too leggy.

I have been harvesting herbs, mainly mints of various varieties. They are such a symbol for freshness and new beginnings, fitting for January.

I have laid a few slabs too, probably done my back in but it is worth it when you see the results. They are reclaimed for elsewhere in the garden and look perfect outside my hut and on the floor of my new potting up room.

Well I´ll leave you with the thought of me hard at work, although the picture I have chosen shows just how lovely the weather is just now and to be quite honest, I sit and have lots of tea and admire the beginnings of 2011 in Pixiepod´s garden, more than I let on.

Be joyful in nature, it will reward you with flowers! x