Back again

After ten days away visiting Arthur we are back in harness. Tomorrow will be a grass day but today was mainly planting a few things brought back with us and walking around seeing what has grown. 

Apple Blossom

It has taken a while to get this established but it now pops up all over. I call it Swan River daisy but I think it has many names. 

Signs of Spring

This clematis has gone from strength to strength. It now covers half the railing and is reaching for the sky  

  

These dwarf irises were a gift from a local gardener - ugly but kind of beautiful too.

Still gardening

A day to move plants around  

Moving plants

 

Protecting the lupins from rabbits. 

And some work on the metal bridge.

Gardening and modelling

I spent the morning gardening. Weeding, moving plants around and laying more membrane to cut down on the weeding.  The tree saplings are coming on nicely    

Trees

And it looks like a good year for figs.  

I have two bridges in progress in the layout - a stone viaduct for the canal and a metal bridge for the local line..

It's not all gardening...

There are jobs to do in the house too. Apart from replacing the firebricks in the woodburner i have had to work on the shower cubicle.  The plastic inserts that fit between the rollers and the glass have disintegrated over time. One door actually fell off when Jack opened it. Replacement larts were not available so i had to create new fixings. Using plastic washers and chrome dome head screw caps i have created an acceptable solution.

Old fitting at the top, temp. solution at the bottom

New fittings

I also pressure washed the low front walls which get covered in road grime. 

Still growing strong

It has been very quiet in the garden. The grass is getting cut but not much else is happening. There has been a lot of catching up since our return and a daily routine in the garden hasnt happened.  But there is still food out there...

Leeks, rhubarb and the daffodils too.

And things will slow down again as we are due to visit Arthur shortly.  But Spring is here.

Paths.

Making a start on getting things sorted.  Paths....

Today's efforts

The pond needed a Spring clean so on with the waders. 

Before

After

It's a start.  My main task at the moment is creating the photo album for the trip.

Back in the saddle

After our long break in Australia ( see www.travelsdownunder2017.blogspot.co.uk) we are back and trying to get ahead of the backlog. After the mail and the email the garden comes next. 

So grass cutting is the first priority and Kate has started on the weeding. 

The magnolias have done well, this Stellata is the only one in the ground and seems to have survived the winter well.

Another task will be planting the many saplings in the new wood area - the grass has been killed off to give them a head start. 

Major progress

Lots of progress over the weekend with the layout. 

The is the pop up where I can get to the middle of the layout. It lifts off it will have an allotment on it eventually.

The base terrain has been added. The inclines for the track and the path of the tracks and the canal are in place.

There will be another lift off hill at this end with tunnels for the tracks and canal.

 

River deep, mountain high.

Work has continued on the layout. The mountain side has been coated with plaster bandage and a base coat added. And the river bed is taking shape. 

Mountain

River valley.

 

Mountain building.

Back in the shed this morning, working on the mountains and riverside.

Hillside

This is the lower hillside/riverside. The cutout is for the canal. 

One

Two

Three

Four

Plaster bandage will go over this for the top layer. It will be a loose section so that I can get at stuff under the mountain. 

Five

 

A day at the dockside.

A potter in the garden...

Plants moved to the coldframe.

Buds on the magnolia. 

Magnolia

And then work on the bridge and the harbour mouth / sea wall. 

Sea wall

The pins will be replaced with proper bollards eventually.  And the hills are coming alive. 

Forming the hills behind the town.

The bridge will get a centre support......

Life goes on.

The morning was dry enough to venture out into the garden for the odd bit of tidying up. Things are growing slowly. 

Lupins

Primulas

The view

But after lunch forced me in to the Shed, sadly!

Track laying

First bridge

 

A week in the North.

We spent last week in Cumbria visiting Arthur. We stayed with friends for some of the time a B&B in Caldbeck for one night. 

Arthur

Now we are back and looking forward to our next little trip. Work can resume on the layout for a while.