Hooray For Herbs

It was with relief that the class settled down to study the last remaining module about herbs yesterday morning, a subject most of us knew a little about anyway, and it was with even greater relief that we met the news that we will not be tested upon it in the exam. Hooray, no more incomprehensible plant science, no further Latin required, no extra planting situations to cram into creaking brains or soil analysis to grapple with, we have finally finished the course. All that remains is for us to remember everything we have been taught and write it down in a fairly legible and understandable way and then we can relax. But I mustn't jump the gun we have six weeks of revision and a mock exam to contend with before sitting down to the final exam which takes place over two days and consists of eight different papers. So don't expect too much excitement on the blog as I must cram, cram, cram!

"A man's nature runs either to herbs or to weeds, therefore let him seasonably water the one and destroy the other" Francis Bacon

Double Sunday

May hedgerow

No news from Norton to report as yesterday was a bank holiday and I took a sneaky day off, of course that's left me at sixes and sevens as I feel like I've had two Sundays. Sunday 1 I made the most of the sunshine and headed into my own garden. I finally cut the hedge which is a job I hate especially the first cut of the season as it takes so long with my hand shears, but it certainly looks better for it. I also went through my seedling nursery ruthlessly discarding anything that wasn't thriving, whether it's the crappy conditions that have encouraged a greenfly infestation I'm not sure but it's not very encouraging this early in the season, so I sowed more direct in the hope of an improvement if they're left to Mother Nature. Sunday 2 I spent all afternoon revising botany and making flash cards so I'm feeling quite smug, no doubt that feeling will diminish as we start to be tested in class later!

"A Sunday well spent brings a week of content"
                                                        English proverb

Accused

Early morning snow shower

It's not the easiest thing in the world to get up early and go out gardening whilst it's snowing but that's what I had to do yesterday, I've really had enough of this cold please can we have something a bit warmer now? First thing we earthed up the potatoes as Giles was fearful of the harsh frosts forecast over the next couple of nights so at least that got us warmed up. Then we prepared the plant sales area adding new stock brought from the nursery and planting out into the garden anything that wouldn't cut the mustard for selling, they will soon bulk up once in the ground. Then there was a kerfuffle, Giles mentioned that the hen pheasant was sitting on her nest so we went to have a peek only to find a sad pathetic pile of dead feathers not even cold. All suspicion turned upon a certain small black dog, what a shame that nine lovely eggs will now come to nothing but I suppose we can't blame shandy for not telling the difference between bunnies and birds!

"There is no instinct like that of the heart" Lord Byron

Guilty as charged!

Ne'er Cast A Clout

At least the Lunaria annua in my garden is looking cheerful.

Gosh isn't it cold! There's absolutely no chance of me casting or clouting until the sun makes an appearance again, in fact I'm finding this years weather either deeply confusing (The hot spell in March), or deeply depressing (The three weeks of yuk we're currently experiencing). My vegetable seeds are slow to germinate even indoors which is probably just as well as I wouldn't dream of putting them outside yet, the hedge needs its first cut but I can't motivate myself to do it, and the tomato plant I bought weeks ago is now so leggy it probably wont survive. I did take a spin around the garden yesterday to keep an eye on things only to find the dreaded lily beetles having an orgy in the pot in the bottom border, so the lilys will have to go as I refuse to spend money on chemicals to try and save one pot. All in all not a very inspiring couple of days, here's hoping the long term weather forecast will cheer us up on Sunday. By the way, for all my readers that come from more exotic climes, the saying Ne'er cast a clout til May be out just means don't take your vest off just yet!

"The sun was warm but the wind was chill
  you know how it is with an April day.
  When the sun is out and the wind is still,
  you're one month on in the month of May.
  But if you so much as dare to speak,
  a cloud come over a sunlit arch,
  and wind comes off a frozen peak,
  and you're two months back in the middle of March"
  Robert Frost

Knowing Your Onions

I was back at Spofforth at last on Wednesday after a break of over a month, I'm pleased to report that my friend Diana is feeling much better after a nasty dose of spring flu. The garden and orchard have changed considerably in that time and with the apple trees in full blossom our spirits were high as we began work. Getting the onion sets planted was our most important task, they really shouldn't have been left so late but I'm hopeful they will soon catch up. It reminded me that I've now been visiting Brian and Diana for a whole year and that this was the first task I ever helped them with, how time has flown, I just hope I've now got a bit more knowledge under my belt and that with almost an entire years study with the RHS I do indeed know my onions!

"The onion and its satin wrappings is amongst the most beautiful of vegetables and is the only one that represents the essence of things. It can be said to have a soul" Charles Dudley Warner

Apple cordons in full blossom at Spofforth.

Humdrum Houseplants

It was a convoluted day at college yesterday as we continued to mop up stray bits and pieces that don't fit into large segments. In the morning we looked at houseplants, a topic that none of us find especially inspiring, we must know the basic care for Adiantum pedantum maidenhair fern, Ficus benjamina weeping fig, Euphorbia pulcherrima poinsettia, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and Saintpaulia ionanthe the African violet, our heads are now well and truly stuffed to bursting point! In the afternoon we tackled machinery and health and safety with an unexpected display of Tai Chi from Richard who says it is a very good way of warming up your muscles before starting any heavy duty gardening. I wonder if it will work on brain cells if we use it before the exam?!

The quote today is the Tai Chi Reiki creed, very appropriate I think,
1.Just for today do not anger
2.Just for today do not worry
3.Earn your living honestly
4.Honour your parents, teachers and elders
5.Show gratitude to every living thing.

New Experiences At Norton

pheasant eggs in the vinery

Every day throws up new experiences at Norton Conyers, be they little ones like the flower or bug you've not encountered before, or be they challenges that must be met. Yesterday was just such a day, as my confidence grows driving the tractor I knew I would have to conquer my dislike of reversing, so I bit the bullet yesterday and whilst no one was looking had a really good practise around the car park, I'm certainly no expert but am glad I faced my fears. Then just as the afternoons work was drawing to a close we had another experience when a swarm of bees flew into the garden, I've not encountered so many before and felt quite unnerved when they settled in the courtyard where the staff cars park, luckily after a hard days graft I was too weary to risk missing my lift so I took a quick picture and we made a hasty exit. Alison says the bees return every year to the same spot and that's why she never leaves the car windows open! I'm glad I saw them, but nature can be a bit scary sometimes.

"Experience is not what happens to a man. It is what a man does with what happens to him" Aldous Huxley

The swarm

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