Yet another update...

Remember this rose?  It now looks like this:

 

 Ok, so it's not a very clear shot, but the close-up shot with the camera phone was overexposed.  The fact is, I'm really quite pleased that where I planted a twig, I now have a rose bush.

All along the wall is a mass of sweet peas.  They're growing steadily and will hopefully fill up the netting placed there for them to climb.  Should look quite spectacular...

And the lavender, which arrived in a tray about 6 inches by 10 inches now looks like this.  Sure, we lost a few along the way, but given they started life as mini plugs a couple of seasons ago, it's nice that they've made it as far as this (again, it's not a hugely clear shot, but it's the strip of green at the bottom of the hedge).

 Some of them have even had the courtesy to produce flowers.  Last year we had one single flower along the entire row (I think there are about 60 plants), and this year most plants have a number of flowers each!  What progress :)

Very pleasing, all in all.  The runner beans are poking their heads out of the pots, the toms sown recently are about an inch or two tall.  Nothing from the pumpkins yet, nor the b'nut squash.  The pansies are growing steadily.  We continue to lose a bunch of them, but given they're from seed from last year's pansies, they are completely free.  Sunflowers are a bit ropey - considering sowing some and planting others along the long bed out the front (where the marigold were last year).
Anyway, bedtime.

Many Marigolds.

I finished planting them at long last:


112 marigolds, from seed, all along the driveway. It took three separate stabs to get the job done, but now it is. And they'll hopefully be blooming soon.

Meanwhile, the pumpkins are growing, the red cabbages are being ravaged by darn caterpillars, the tomatoes are struggling to life, the courgettes still producing. The spring onion and lettuces are just beginning to show themselves, and yesterday saw the sowing of two rows of carrots where the last lot was dug up (is it a problem, planting them in the same place? Hope not!) The lavender's ok, a couple of ropey looking ones perhaps. The sweet peas have decided to offer up a few more flowers, and the spuds should be dug soon (though we had a batch from Wales, which was lovely!)

The 252 miniplug plants (primula, pansy and viola) have arrived and the viola is now 'potted on' into the trays (40plugs per tray)

By any other name.

Yes, it might look like just another rose. But it isn't. You see, I made it (other than in the Theological sense).
I dug a trench, and put some sand in the bottom. I took a cutting from a rose bush (about 12 inches I guess) and dipped it in some rooting stuff (organic). Then I planted it in the trench and filled the trench in. I did this with about 8 cuttings. This is the most impressive. They didn't all work, probably only about half. But I'm dead chuffed anyway! The planting was back at the tail end of the autumn, if you're wondering.

Other stuff today. Gave in and bought some red cabbage plants at Bretby. Brought them home and planted them.
First sweet peas arrived (2 of them...)
Sunflowers have been out for a few days
Watered everything (including lavender).
Cursed the fact that I still haven't sorted canes for the tomatoes.
Planted the last of the lavender in the gaps that have appeared (I can't now afford to have any more gaps, as we're fresh out of lavender!!)
Sowed some echinacea (don't know about spelling - spell check suggests chinaware...) out the front by the fence.
Yes, you've guessed it - earthed up spuds. Left bin is now full, so can't have any more earthing. Right bin will probably take one more lot.