In The Garden

My whole entire body is aching today. In fact, it was almost a relief to have to go to work just so I could have a break! We've had a long wet winter and even on the few days that we didn't have rain it was freezing cold and, let's face it, I'm not a fan of the cold. The wussy side of me says that I couldn't go out and play in the cold because Offspring #2 would want to join me and with all the dramas we've had with her asthma and a trying winter of ill-health I didn't want her out in the cold. The more grown-up side of me just says I'm a big wuss and to get over myself!

Anyway, I spent the past three days out in the garden raking and weeding, sweeping and cleaning up, planting and potting, and I AM EXHAUSTED! My arms ache so much I can barely lift my tea-cup, my legs are in serious pain, my lower back is screaming at me and my butt muscles... well, let's not go there.

I filled the trailer twice with pruning offcuts, raked leaves, pulled weeds and general garden debris. We used the last weekend of the burning season to get rid of some undergrowth and while it's not real pretty right now at least we feel better about our preparation for summer.

I weeded the vegie garden, pulled up the scraggy broccoli and cauliflower plants that were finished and then replanted the whole lot for summer - we've got... silverbeet and beetroots that have been in for a month or so, the English Spinach that is doing really well and a bundle of different types of tomatoe seedlings.

a heap of corn

and some leeks that are taking their time but getting there verrrrry slowly as well as more broccoli, cucumber, zucchini, a bunch of mixed lettuces, some french beans and a couple of capsicum plants (that's bell peppers for the Americans amongst us). I'm planning to fill in some of the spaces in another six weeks or so in order to keep us going through the summer.

I tidied up some of the flower beds straight out from the back of the house and was left with this pretty display of spring flowers.

Remember a few weeks back when I showed you my first Camellia flower? Well, the tree is looking beautiful now.

Oh and I dug up and separated one clump of agapanthas. I ended up with about 30 plants and, in the interests of not having my arms completely fall off, left the clump in the backyard that is about 4 times the size for next weekend.