Lots to do and no clue

If you live near the coast the shipping forecast for Inshore Waters is pretty good, otherwise try The Farming Today week ahead forecast Monday mornings about 0550hrs gives a good indication.
Radio is generally better than television anyway.

 

I managed a bit of weeding / reclamation at the back of the house and tried to move a trough. Too heavy. Strapped it to a sack barrow and it bent with the weight. Father in law is coming with stuff to remove his scrap land rover so should be able to move the troughs. Photos slipped my mind.

 

Clearing the ground makes things look tidier, so that's a good start. Don't worry about the photo's too much.

 

'Watch your language' I had to laugh at that. I often look in on forums of our gardening cousins across the pond.

So you grap a pot and chuck some dirt ito it, then add th plant.

 

Heavens to Betsy @Mike Allen I take deep offence to your assessment of us "over the pond" Have you checked Canuck websites? Wait, we're all unsophisticated pioneers here....nemind...

Just teasing. Yes the swearing was unacceptable but he's a newbie. Once things start growing for him, mother nature will provide mellowing

 

@Graeme Mckay The ferns sound like a good idea. As for the troughs I don't think capillary drainage will work. As Selleri said good thick layer of gravel in the bottom will help; I would put a layer of weed membrane over the gravel to stop it clogging up with compost and the use a lot of grit in the compost to encourage draining. Some shelter in winter would be a good idea. Have a look at Meconopsis, the Blue Himalayan poppy they grow far better in your damper, cooler conditions than most other places in Britain.
Is the soil acid or alkaline as this makes a big difference to what you can grow. If acid then there are many Rhododendrons and heathers etc that will do well for you.

 

@CanadianLori I tend to swear more now I've been gardening for some time. I used to pray, but now I swear; especially when the dread Lily beetle is spotted or the local cat digs up my newly sown seed to defecate, or the pigeons attack the young cabbages.

 

I check a weather app on my laptop every morning as it has geeky info such as record temp and rainfall for the day and year as well as wind direction/speed and humidity. You can also get a guide to the weather over the next ten days, which is often a rough guide but an indicator of the trending forecast. Three days is usually more accurate, although it isn't an exact science.
The lovely Alex always presents the weather for the East Midlands with a smile to brighten anyone's rainy day and in the afternoon we have the coolest weather guy, Des Coleman, who can turn presentation into an art: man, that guy can really wear a suit.