Hello world, after at least four years I have decided to reopen my blog “Mrs Garnett’s Garden” or mrsgarnettsgarden.com, to share the comings and goings, doings and adventures in our new garden just south of Pickering, North Yorkshire. We moved here in November to a smaller house, but an acre of land. So far we have fenced in the meadow area to protect the animals and anyone else from the little lane which runs all the way round, gated the house area off from the front, and put up eight hen huts in a rather smart row!

This week, we will have a parking area gravelled in the front, with the top soil removed to my first area of garden, known as “Treacle’s compound”. This is a secure rabbit proof piece about fifteen feet by thirty, where the previous owner’s dog treacle was contained when necessary. it will make an excellent starter garden. The raised beds we had in the last house are now in, waiting for soil and compost. For my birthday David bought me an 8 by 6 greenhouse, which is being constructed as I write, a half price bargain bought just before Christmas from the local garden centre, and sitting on firm concrete foundations.

So everything is getting ready for the big Spring explosion!  David’s various poultry have settled in well, despite the bird flu warnings from the Government. So far we have a trio of Brown Leghorns, about a dozen partridge wyandotte bantams, similar numbers of silver laced wyandottes, three rhode island reds, six light sussex, and three gold top silkie crosses.  The RIRs and LS are already laying well, so we are selling them at the front gate with an honesty box, and they seem to be disappearing daily to the dog walkers and passers-by.

The big excitement at the moment is the imminent arrival of three Ryeland gimmer lambs.  David bought them on Saturday and we now have a land holding  and flock number so they can be moved.  A flock sounds a bit grand, but we thought three could manage to keep our grass down and provide more than enough fleece to spin and knit.  We are thinking of names just now. I fancy Ruby, Rita and Ruth as their surname is Ryeland, but we will see!

On the horticulture front today I have sown cherry tomato and ailsa craig seeds, and red peppers in the propagator Tim and Clare gave me for Christmas.  Off to buy some seed potatoes later from Rogers, one of our excellent local garden centres, which always have a great selection.

That’s all for now folks! Better get on with the day job!