The simple joys of a greenhouse...

Part of my 'big dream' was to one day be able to grow my own veg, sew my own home and have a greenhouse that I could potter in to my hearts content...

The dream is finally here...

I saved my birthday money to buy a little greenhouse of my very own. It measures 6ft by 4ft so it is quite cosy but I am pleased as punch with it...


It fits in two grow bags and my new staging (which my sweetcorn and herbs are already in situ) and other seed trays will be going there in due course...

The standing was already there in part - my dear husband laid the final slabs after I dug up and moved the snowdrops that were growing nearby as I didn't want to squash them!

The final touch is from my daughter for a Mother's Day gift - a hanging bird wind chime... It looks perfect in there!

A little bit of green...

I broke up for my Easter holidays yesterday to a grey sky and a dank weather forecast. This depressed me a bit as I can't wait to get out into the garden again...

Every evening I try and get out to see what the garden is up to but the last week has been manic so I have been a little lax about being able to peer at what the garden has been up to...

I am pleased to report there are signs of green from some of the seeds I planted a few weeks ago...

Two of the lettuce troughs are showing signs of life - but will definitely be in need of thinning out when bigger...


The herb pots are also growing though, stupidly, I cannot tell you which ones are sprouting as I forgot to label them so I look forward to the herb surprise!



The sweetcorn and spinach are still not doing anything but I will be keeping an eye on them....


Biggest success though has to be my garden mint. I thought I had well and truly killed it off last winter... But it is showing signs of life... Fingers crossed that it will continue to thrive!

Sowing the seeds...

I have finally got some crops in the ground!

And in some pots...

And in some troughs too!

So, today I managed to plant:

2 x rows of spinach in the vegetable patch
1 x tub of parsnips
2 x tubs of lettuce (two different types!)
3 x pots of herbs
1 x seed tray of sweet corn....

I am pleased. Especially as I can now hopefully see the fruits of my labour in a few weeks time...

Equipment and tools...

Because last year was the first year of gardening we only bought a handful of things to help us on our quest. This year we seem to have topped up our supplies but have a better idea what we need in regards to planting.

The first things that I will always grab for are my trowel, gloves and kneeler. Admittedly the trowel I currently use is about the third I have bought as I have learnt that buying a cheap one will not last. The gloves are fully washable but also disposable but the kneeler, although being made of foam and costing me a mere British pound is brilliant.

Everything else is just nice and not essential.

The other thing you need to check is that you have enough pots and ground for the crops you wish to grow... I usually fall significantly short but there is nothing that my local garden centre can't help with!

Sorting the seeds...

Buying new vegetable seeds is a bit of a habit but one that I try and curb. However, it does mean that when it comes to choosing what I could plant in the garden this year I had plenty to choose from...

Before I choose I always check for the best before date on the back of the seed packet as I am always given ageing seeds by family members so try and plant the ones that will go out of date by the end of the year.

Once this is done I divide the packets into a few categories:
- Outside vegetable patch and can be sown outside
- Outside vegetable patch but to be sown indoors
- Sown indoors and grow indoors
- Slugs favourite so to be planted in troughs!

The latter division is so I can try and be a slug-free zone this year as I hope to grow lettuce outside... Fingers crossed!

So ... The seeds are sorted ... Now to the planting!