As you may have noticed from my recent posts (or lack of) I'm struggling a bit at the moment and just going through the motions, I suppose it is inevitable at times for all of us and I'm not really used to feeling like this because most of the time I am quite self contained and content but I am a tad lonely right now and wondering quite what I am doing.
So I am trying to pick myself up and today I am going to soak some dried fruit to make a Christmas cake as successful as the one I made last year, hopefully. On top of that I am looking out at the garden and contemplating another large bed, the largest one. The problem I have is getting rid of the turf, it is heavy and annoying and I don't really know what to do with it. I have a big pile of it from the last beds that I did, dumped under the decking and it is a bit of a pain so adding to it doesn't sound like a great idea as, ultimately, I will still have to do something with it. I read once that if left long enough it does made good compost, but how long is long enough? Once the bed is made I would like some taller things in it so suggestions welcome, nothing too exotic as the whole feel of the garden is country traditional, but maybe a small conifer would be nice, one that goes up instead of out and doesn't get massive. A lot of my garden dies off in winter so it would be nice to have a few permanent things in there that look good all year. I like box too, but wish it wasn't so expensive as a small box hedge around the bed would be my ideal. Planning and more planning is my approach, as always.
Motivation is hard at times, I know this all too well after the last few years. But, once I manage to get my rotund body and empty head into action it does give me a good feeling, a buzz if you like.
ReplyDeleteAs for the turf stacked with the grass side down it will make reasonable compost in about 18 months, its whether you have the space. When I did have a garden to tend I prefered raised borders as they easier to tend and the turf could be turned over and left at the bottom to provide a base.
JW
I would agree with both of those suggestions, put the new lot into the very bottom, of your bed upside down, if you can't find anywhere else to store it. Hopefully, the old lot should be ready in Spring although you may needs to sieve it for top soil or just dig in if well rotted.
DeleteYou could try putting the turf on Freecycle/Freegle. Could be just what someone is looking for.
ReplyDeleteIt might be that this time of year doesn't agree with you, for me it is February I find it so bleak. Have you ever thought of doing some volunteering, you might be amazed as to how beneficial you will find it. Keep well and like you I am thinking it is time to start on the Christmas cake.
ReplyDeletePlanning forward always helps, especially as you sound a little down. Think about it, you have found your new home, worked hard on getting it how you wanted, not sure what to do next or whether work will be forthcoming. Enough to get anyone down. Chin up, battle on and you'll eventually get your mojo back.
ReplyDeleteCome along to Café Yes next Saturday, it's on Bank Street next to Barclays Bank (near the dreaded bakery you don't like!). Everyone is welcome, 10.30 am - 4 pm. It's a café where you pay what you feel your food was worth, there are usually some nice vegetarian curries and lots and lots of lovely cake. There is ad hoc entertainment, guitar playing etc. Don't think they've had an opera singer yet! It's a nice friendly atmosphere, you come in and pull up a chair.
ReplyDeleteWe also have RAFT in the Valley, which is the name for the Rossendale Foodbank. Whitworth is on our places that foodparcels are delivered to. All sorts of volunteers are needed, I usually go to supermarkets when we are allowed to collect from customers. Same again, lots of people to talk to.
Maybe you could use the turf to make a slope somewhere in the garden if your garden is flat it would add interest maybe. As ALoadofOldTat said it might be the shorter days that are depressing you and the thought of winter on the way or even a sense of anticlimax now that you have got the place you wanted and all?
ReplyDeleteI wish I could offer some ground breaking advice to lift your meloncolny but the truth is I'm struggling with something similar myself right now. It's always nice to spend time making garden plans, I also have a smallish plot on a challenging gradient. If you can bare looking at a bleak area, pin down some black plastic or some carpeting to kill the grass area over winter, which will leave you with a much smaller volume of lawn material to dispose of in spring. You will only need to skim over the top and remove the roots. If you get the chance in the next few weeks get out and visit some gardens with traditional herbaceous borders. Lots of inspiration to be found.
ReplyDeleteKeep your chin up Dan! I think the christmas cake is a great idea. My husband Tony has just bought everything he needs and has announced he is going to make ours! Makes a change from M & S !!
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ReplyDeleteOops, had a couple of major errors, I somehow switched a paragraph around and it didn't make sense, ha. Here is the corrected post:
DeleteWell, first things first, here is a big cyber hug from across the globe...
<<<<<<<<---------->>>>>>>>>
(OK, wasn't sure how to do it but it is what it is)
Can't wait to see how your cake comes out. The one last year was inspiring.
Emma above gave the suggestion I was going to make. I have the same issue with grass where I want to put some more beds. For my beds last year, I had the soil ready soon after so what I did was line the bottom of the bed with cardboard and then put the soil on top. The cardboard smothers the grass so it doesn't come up through the dirt and then the cardboard decomposes and goes away.
Right now I'm putting in some new beds but won't fill them with dirt right now, so I'm going to use the black plastic, put it down and let it smother and kill the grass. Then in a few months, I can pull up the plastic, the grass should be dead, and most likely not even much to rake up, and then soil can go down on top of that.
Hey, if you need advice or want to chat, come to my blog and click on the 'email me' link, would love to hear from you.
Please accept a virtual hug from me.
ReplyDeleteLove from Mum
xx
No need to dig, or have unwanted turf to make beds! What I did was a lazy technique: scavenge newspapers and cardboard (remove staples and tape) from family and neighbours, plenty of it to cover the area you want. Then lay it down. On top of that you will need to spread over about three inches of manure or compost or other 'mulch' - we got ours from local stables. This will kill the grass and suppress any weeds. Leave it alone over the winter. In the spring take a spade and edge your ready made beds neatly! It'll be nice and fertile too. As for evergreens, how about a female holly? They're so beautiful! Or even yew, very slow growing but impressive.
ReplyDeleteOh, and while your thinking about growing stuff, get some St. Johns Wort herb seeds in a seed tray pronto, Suffolk Herbs sell them. Home made herbal antidepressant straight from your garden come summer.
DeleteCheer up. You are reaching out to your internet friends; now reach out to your face-to-face friends. Sing for your own fun. Get angry or experience a strong emotion. Remember that nothing will change unless you make it change. We sometimes feel low so that at other times we really appreciate the high points. It's about contrast and texture. These melancholy feelings should pass. For some people it takes only a couple of days, for others a month or so. If it is longer than this you may have contracted a low grade virus that is otherwise undetectable and therefore difficult to treat. Look after yourself in three ways - body, mind, and soul. The garden and your music are for your spirit. Your friends and community are for your soul. Healthy living is for your body. Look after your body and do not forget to rest and recuperate.
ReplyDeleteSending virtual hugs your way (although we don't really know each other so perhaps I should just call them virtual good vibes) and hope you feel in better form soon. I think I've also read about a year or so for stacking pieces of turf to get wonderful loam. Covered with black plastic to aid the process (or just put into black bags). I vaguely think I might have read that in one of Monty Don's books and if you like him at all, I'd highly recommended trying to get your hands on some of them, in particular My Roots. It's a compilation of various articles he wrote over a ten-year period, divided by month. I first got it out of the library when I was going through a fairly down period in my life and I just really loved it - it felt on occasion that he was talking right to me, as he was describing, in some parts, exactly the way I was feeling. I sort of vaguely meant to buy it then but never got around to it and then a few years later, during another not very good month, I happened across it at a book stall that had been set up outside the weight watchers meeting that I had spent all morning trying to convince myself not to bother going to. It felt like the universe was trying to tell me something. I've read a few of his other books since and enjoyed them all but I always come back to My Roots.
ReplyDeleteHi Dan, I feel quite concerned that you are not feeling up to par. Life is full of ups and downs, we have to do our best to climb back up out of that pit that we find ourselves in. I have my off days, it's a struggle sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved into my house, there was nothing in the garden, just boring lawns. I filled up the borders with evergreens, low maintenance, and now it looks lovely all the year round. Bushes with berries are nice. I built my veg raised beds on top of the lawn at the bottom end, the grass never did grow through it. Mind you, some of my home made compost is contaminated with nettles so I have to pull them up now and again.
Go for a walk up that hill :o) Best wishes, Ilona
Oh my! Life definitely has its' ups and downs. I have had some bad moments lately too, so I sympathize! And it is always much more fun with company and friends... But at the same time, there is a place for quiet creativity or productivity. I hope you do get your peace and contentment back soon.
ReplyDeleteAs for garden ideas.... What about a Rowan tree? They are so lovely in fall and my Norwegian friends make a lovely jam from them.
I am living vicariously through you! As I have my own dreams of a small cabin on a few Alaskan acres and weaving, spinning... But I just moved cross country to be near family & am looking for work.... But, luckily, my family has been wonderful about making space, so I have been playing with loom & spinning wheel and fiber today! Puttering, but happy things. Even so.... I love reading about your projects of all kinds...and I do look forward to the results of your efforts. Thank you for blogging! And really, I do wish and hope you feel better soon! :-)
For a tall conifer we planted a juniperus called Skyrocket in a previous garden. It gave a point of interest without dominating.
ReplyDeleteI really like this one, it is exactly what I was looking for.
DeleteI found your site through clicking on your comment on John (Going Gently) Gray's site. I really enjoyed reading about your projects - you have accomplished a lot. I like the comments that your friends have made too and echo what they're saying - the winter will come - but it will go too. I love cottage gardens too - mine is an absolute disaster area at this moment in time but come the spring ......
ReplyDeleteBox is achievable with some patience, one box plant needs pruning: prunings can turn into cuttings: cuttings turn into more box plants. There are plenty of internet sites that will tell you how to, but they are supposed to root well from cuttings. It just takes some extra time.
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