Planters finished and ready to be planted

You will remember that we left the planters last week all ready to be preserved with some creosote (Stephen’s first job when they arrived). Then they would be ready for a good layer of rubble in the bottom of each. This very satisfactorily got rid of all the broken brick and stone lying around the garden and will provide really good drainage for our planters.

It also allowed us to separate out the reasonble bricks and bits of paving that we can use for our paths through the planters – next week’s task.

Next job was to line the inside of the planters with membrane – cutting the membrane to shape and then securing with a staple gun – a slightly tricky bit of kit to use at that angle.

Meanwhile I was dis-assembling the old compost heap – nearly four year’s worth of my discarded fruit and veg!

Since I had not followed any of the rules of compost making I was not sure how great it would be so we decided to put it at the bottom, under the soil where hopefully it might do a bit of good and not too much harm. However, when I started pulling it apart there were a fine population of worms in there so maybe it is better than I thought.

And while I held communion with the worms in the compost, the workers took a quick lunch break….

So in went my compost to each planter, followed by lots of Thompson of Crews’ Hill’s best ‘rich soil’. The advice we received from several quarters was that whatever else you might economise on, get good soil. Especially important if you are growing things with children who want to to see instant results. Certainly in my garden using ‘rich soil’ in my big border has meant that everything is super vigorous. So here are the bags being neatly split by Stephen and the soil pouring in.

Just for interest I had ordered 30 x 30 litre bags and we had seven left. I am sure we will need to top up some of the planters and the rest can go towards the grass pathway. A really great morning’s work.

Before they had got started however, we had a visit from the lovely National Garden Scheme co-ordinator for Highgate who came to see how we were getting on. As you know, we are opening for the NGS on June 22nd.

Although the Growing Garden will only be in its infancy we are determined that everyone will be able to see what we are aiming for. So the next steps are: get the path paving sorted out, get the pond up and running, move our butler’s sink and our seat to their proper locations (we are planning a bug hotel under the butler’s sink in due course – and…. build the pergola which will separate the upper from the lower garden.

Ecologist Michael is coming for a ‘consulation’ on Tuesday so we can decide what to grow in our beautiful planters – for this year I think it will be the speediest growers, not necessarily what will will want there long term. Meanwhile I will get our few fruit bushes planted, separate out those raspberry canes and start training the brambles along the wall so that they produce lots of fruit!

Much to do….. But for now it was home for a well earned rest!