Spring is nigh. And you know what that means...

It's been a very wet, very cold winter here, but there's definitely a hint of Spring in the air. Especially today, when we woke up to brilliant sunshine and blue skies. Of course, now that I've said that, some huge grey clouds are rolling in from the west. *sigh*

Anyway, the imminent onset of warm weather means that things are about to start going nuts in the garden, so I'm compiling a list of jobs to be done. Thankfully, it's a small garden so the list isn't too daunting.

1. Drag out the bucket and watering can and give the entire garden a cocktail of molasses, Seasol and maybe some Powerfeed, diluted in water.

2. Give the leucophyta brownii out the front a bit of a haircut. These things need a good clipping a couple of times a year, both to keep them from invading the path, and also to stop them going all leggy and straggly. I love the silver foliage - such a nice contrast to the greens and reds in the rest of the front yard.



3. Take a tour of the back yard with secateurs in hand. The canna lilies are looking pretty awful - they really hate the cold - but a drastic trim will have them looking neater and also see them putting on new growth in no time. There are a few other plants that are a little bit ratty too, so no doubt I'll be chopping away madly.

4. Look for anything that just isn't performing. I'll probably note it, watch it till the end of November or so and then if it doesn't lift its game, it's GONE. No sentiment here - I'm not coddling anything.

5. Do a nursery run and decide what else to plant (there are a few gaps to fill). This is the really fun part.

6. Declare war on weeds. There aren't very many at all, especially considering I've done no weeding at all for a couple of months, but I spotted a few the other day that have to go.

7. Chuck some snail pellets around. Those mongrels are everywhere and I'm not big on sharing my plants with slimy critters.

8. Buy another terracotta planter and paint it to match the two we already have filled with herbs. I want a chilli bush like we had at the old place - that thing produced super-hot birds eye chillies for us for about five years. I just cut it back hard every Spring and it rewarded me with new growth and bucket loads of fruit. I also want a couple of tomato plants, and I think they'll do OK in there. Maybe even some gourmet lettuce...



9. Build a pergola. OK, I'm not actually doing this one - that will be Bike Boy's department. I need a design for outside my studio that will block most of the summer heat but let in the winter sunshine, so we plan to add timber slats. I already have a passionfruit vine in a pot that's destined to be trained over it. Yum! As a bonus, I should be able to get a hook installed in the beams to hang a boxing bag from.

I'm sure I'll think of more. :)