What are we doing in the garden 2024

"Where is the cat mint?"

I had covered my cat mint last weekend with a cloche to protect them from the 3 cats that love to nibble on them. One of them, a street cat I take care off with providing a house and food, came daily into the garden when I was there, stood next to the cat mint, looking at me and asking, "could you please take off that lid here". I didn't do him the favour and enjoyed my growing cat mint.
Yesterday morning, I came into the garden and found the cloche from that plant which had really well developed, smashed and all cat mint regrow was gone. I protected it again, and hopefully, it gets a chance to grow
Reminds me on my cat which sadly passed away last year, but I had fulfilled my promise to give her the best cat mint bed she had ever seen, and she loved it. 2 months later, she found her resting place in our garden.

PS: I do hope the cat haters from the GW forum haven't joined us and we can freely live with our cats and talk about their habits

 

Thanks for pointing this out @Plantminded
I have just done it. I'm still discovering the forum's possibilities.

 

Good luck at the show to Mrs shiney, @shiney I can't grow rhubarb in France, I think it's too hot and dry in summer.

 

Our Victoria rhubarb hasn't even woken yet, mind it's up against a N/E facing fence, but once it starts it goes on and on and on....

Think I should purchase an early variety and place it in a more sunnier spot.

Edited to say I've now ordered an Early Timperley crown, arriving in a couple days time.

 

@shiney, I'm pleased to hear that no nonsense will be had regarding cat intolerance on this forum. If it's any help, my cat(pictured in my earlier photo) is an evil wotsit and she'll sort em out for you!
It's too cold and windy to be in the garden this morning, so I may pop down to a garden nursery which has newly opened not far from me and have a look around.

 

Yes, I'm pleased too. I like cats, but I'm afraid my dog doesn't. There's a corner of the garden where they come in, this corner (according to my dog) is like a portal where evil demons enter, as soon as he's let out in the garden, he stares assessing the 'portal'.

We nearly had a nasty situation the other day, we'd just turned into our drive with our dog in the back of the car. An overly friendly cat decided to come and say hello. My husband didn't see him as he's awkward getting out of cars because of his arthritic bones. The cat went up to him, and as my husband didn't see him, the cat decided to say hello to me and jumped on seat.... heart went in my mouth cos our dog was in the back. In my panic I clapped my hands an the cat ran off. Luckily Rusty had no idea of the carnage that was averted. I would love a cat, but....

 

Yesterday I had a feeding frenzy. No, not at a local all you can eat buffet but in the garden! Both lawns have now been fed and I've given all my bamboos some generous handfuls of BF&B before they start to get going next month. I found a place in the ground for a potted Hosta Patriot and put a Phormium Cream Delight in the vacated pot. I moved a few pots into a sunnier position and removed some of last year's tulips threatening to spoil this year's new display. It's a very strict regime in my garden !

 

Today has been alternating sunshine and heavy showers, with hail, so I've been mainly pottering. So far I've sown some cornflowers, pricked out some cosmos (may re-sow these, they've gone very lanky!) and rather pathetic foxgloves, and potted on some cuttings of penstemons and salvias.
Yesterday I had a delivery of plug plants from South Eastern Horticultural (fuchsias, calibrachoa and a dwarf bush raspberry) which have all been potted up, and I pricked out some bidens.
I'll do my daily inspection rounds of the borders later, to see what's new and deadhead the narcissi.

 

I bought a pot of basil yesterday from the supermarket and this morning split it, potted up some pieces and taken cuttings (into a jar of water). I'll keep my basil inside on the sunny kitchen windowsill.
There are also several seed trays on there. I wish I had a greenhouse, just have one of those miniature ones sitting on my patio.