What have you done in the garden today?

I worked on the raised area around the pear tree stump again. It's really hard work up there but I dealt with a scraggy Buddleia, huge brambles weaving their way through everything, dead pieces of roses tied to the fence, and masses of Vinca which has spread over the whole area. I tried to save a few plants I came across - not with much success, I'm afraid.

Then my husband came with his pickaxe and chainsaw and had a go at removing the pear tree stump. This is proving very difficult, indeed probably impossible. He thinks I'll have to plant round it. The area looks like a bomb site at the moment, and I have another area of Vinca to cope with, too.

I shall have to plan the planting carefully as it's almost starting from scratch up there. Some of the area hasn't been cultivated for years, so it'll need a lot of work even before I start planting.

I put a spade into the ground for the first time since my back problem started. I dug up some rhubarb for a friend. It badly needs splitting anyway and Steve, the soil around it looked like dark peat with no stones at all.

I bougth some Red baron Shallots and red sun onion sets (I like red) ;D

True! ;D If I can get them, I want to plant a Liquidamber 'Anja' and a Cornus 'Eddie's White Wonder' at the back.

I haven't done any gardening today apart from planting a few left-over primroses in the church garden. It's been trying to snow here - I just felt too cold to go outside.

That's nice to know, Steve. Is it a fast grower?

The Nursery might not supply the trees as it's the end of their 'season'so I have my fingers crossed. Their mail address seems to be wrong/not working so I'll be phoning them this morning.

I potted up some Ranunculus 'bulbs', not quite sure what to call the wee spidery looking things and went over the raised bed with my tiller.

According to John Player, 'Its the tobacco that counts.'