Mothers Day

It has been pretty busy here at Garden Divas HQ with orders for lucky Mums ranging from the ever popular Floreo 370 Garden Gloves to the fab new Tulip & Rose Garden BasketBut as I write this blog on a Sunday afternoon my house has been invaded by the smell of Dettol!! My beautiful daughter succumbed to a sickness bug overnight and the Mother'sDay lunch out has been cancelled . Oh well these things happen - all part of being a Mum!! Instead of going out I've treated myself to a long soak in the bath using the beautiful Gardener's Bath & Shower Gel which makes a lovely bubbly bath and certainly helps to relax and unwind (And after all I am a special gardener)!! Now I think I will head off into the garden for a while, maybe plant my second lot of potatoes - Aaron Pilot. I've already set some Charlotte potatoes which are a salad variety - my family tradition has always been to set the first lot of potatoes on Good Friday but as Easter is so late this year I have already got going - but don't worry I will still be setting some then - "Cara" which make nice jacket potatoes. And that is just what my daughter is saying she will be living on this week - jacket potatoes until her tum has settled down. My late Mother used to say if you have a potato and an apple, then you have a meal - a simple one at that but if grown in your own garden absolutely delicious!!! And Mums really do know best!!

NIP N SNIP

I have had withdrawal symptoms from the lack of gardening over the winter so have been making the most of the (slightly) better conditions to get outside.

I've lost quite a few of my shrubs in the cold snap - hebes, in particular several shrubby veronicas, a Sun King - look at these poor things

and even the lavenders which is such a shame as I had a lovely lavender pathway. They will all have to be nipped out and replaced. Think I'll try box hedging as that's pretty hardy with just a lavender at the front edge so I can brush past and get that wonderful smell.

I also set some Broad Beans last November and now have only 3 plants remaining due to the harsh weather!!! Fortunately we have a brilliant market nearby and I managed to pick up some young plants quite cheaply so will be setting them out this weekend. Broad Beans do tend to get covered in blackfly which is such a nuisance - but I am going to snip out the tops of the plants when they are in flower to try and deter them as the aphids always love the soft new growth at the top. Fingers are fine for this job but I think the Deadheads Mini Snips with their sharp blades will be better.

They should also be good for the tagetees I grow every year as I tend to be a bit clumsy when nipping out the tops to make a bushy plant and end up ruining the young growth.


Just pop them in a pocket to keep them to hand and at £3.95 they are a bargain!! Lots of our customers think so too so snap them up before they are gone