Bright spring days

The weather has been superb these last few days and we have really enjoyed actually getting out into the garden and doing some pre-season work. The pots are ready for the spring and all the beds cut down and weeded so the welcome break in the weather has been a boon. I have a sneaking suspicion that we might be in for a dry spring so have resisted the temptation to empty out the barrels which are just about at bursting point after the wet periods in January.

The camellias are still in good bud although I fear one or two have been damaged by frost, it has been so excessive this winter, however, we are looking forward to a reasonably good show within the next month or so. Talking of camellias, Trehane Nursery, Wimborne (next to Knoll Gardens) will start their plant sale on 27th March which runs until the end of April. They have severeal new varieties of camellias for sale including the one pictured which is called Oo-la-la. Last year's sale was very successful with gardeners coming from as far afield as Wales and Derbyshire to get the right camellia for their situation.

We will soon be planting and its very easy to forget where you put things, I know I do and so does my neighbour with sometimes fatal consequences! The answer might be a notebook from funkeypigeon - with this handy little aid wondering which seeds you planted and where will be a thing of the past. Check it out on www.funkypigeon.com

Its great to learn that since the RHS launched this year's Grow your own campaign last week, over 20,000 people have signed up. Signing up to the 'Veg Pledge' includes growing at work as well as at home and already several major businesses have agreed to support the idea and enable their employees to have plots at work. Cafedirect are planning to grow their own fruit and veg on the balconies of their London offices - this could be a whole new trend in Grow Your Own. Info. on the RHS campaign can be found on www.rhs.org.uk/growyourown

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