'Garlic and sapphires in the mud...'

The past few days,after a very welcome blast of Swaledale, have been occupied in taking down the redundant coldframes, and starting to construct a raised bed to contain some of our stock plants that will get swamped as the shrubs in the borders get even larger.As it will lie alongside the path to the house, and, if we ever open the nursery,will be the first thing a visitor would see, we have decided to make a proper job of it, and build it using green oak sleepers rather than recycled boards.Unfortunately, these weigh a ton, and I have to use the forks on the tractor to move them into position:heavy rain and the action of the four wheel drive have created a fine sea of mud.

Once I get all the sleepers in place we will fork over the ground, mixing in ballast for drainage.I then plan to import a peat free compost and topsoil mix to add to the farmyard manure that we already have in stock. having done all that, Elizabeth will be able to plant the subjects languishing in pots by the back door.

The cattle are still out at grass, but the gateways are muddy, and I'll have to get them in.Before that,I will order a load of chalk for the yard floors, and spend a day replacing broken boards.

Work in progress