Spring Is Just Around The Corner

I just love the fact that the nights are drawing out, it just makes you feel so much better, even though the weather needs to get its act together and so with the Easter holiday just around the corner and with it, the clocks going forward, we are preparing to spend those precious days away from work in the garden.

For the past few years, I have had just one large vegetable bed at the top of the garden but this is not a very good use of space. I use a no dig method, which means each year I just topdress with pelleted chicken manure and compost, fork it over a little and that's it. The trouble is with a large bed, I try to avoid treading on the soil as this compacts it, so I just tend to plant around the edges and as far in as I can reach (which isn't far as I am only small).

This year we are completely redesigning the vegetable garden and putting in lots of raised beds instead.

My husband has designed these, with my small reach in mind and this way, we will make the most of the space available.

The ground has been levelled off and the wood ordered for the raised beds. We still need to order, weed suppressant membrane to put inbetween the beds, bark chippings, maybe some top soil but definitely compost and then we are good to go.

Even though the horrible weather has kept me indoors, I haven't wasted any time and have ordered my seeds for this year.

I have already started my tomatoes in the heated propagator. After last years blight in the greenhouse (something I thought didn't usually happen) I have gone for a couple of my trusty favourite varieties, which are blight resistant Ferline and Legend. Both from Thompson and Morgan and both absolutely delicious.

It really is an exciting time in the gardening calendar. The anticipation of what's to come, just fills me with happiness - just in time for tomorrows International day of happiness!