Yesterday was a lovely productive day at the plot with flower friend. My not so flower enthusiastic partner kindly worked on the metal supports for the sweet peas and the grid was erected twenty four foot across the back of the plot. It is 6 foot high so should give enough room for the plants to climb. It looked a wide expanse, but after planting sweet peas front and back, there were still quite a lot left over. I kept the ones I forgot to label for at home and think they are matacuna mostly. These are beautifully scented, but tend to have short stems so probably not as useful for flower stall sales. Planted achillea at the feet of sweet peas as advised by Georgie Newbery and am looking forward to seeing how this works.

Solid metal support for climbers

The digging was tough going and think my flower friend put her back into it more than me as I dithered about planting distances and what to plant where. Between us, we planted a couple of white penstemons, the sweet peas, achillea, small ammi, verbena bonarensis, nigella and euphorbis oblongata. These needed to be put where there was space so the plot is developing a little randomly, but this will have to do this year and things can be moved.

Small and perky ammi plants

Realised yesterday that this year there can be no direct sowing of seeds as the soil is too heavy and will need much more preparation and time to break it down. In parts found blue clay which means it will be fertile but also that it will be unforgiving for awhile. So I am back to seed sowing at home which is fine. Zinnias and sunflowers on the agenda today.

Starting to put plants aside for first market this Sunday and thinking there might be small bunches of home grown flowers too as the sun is opening the tulips and daffodils up so quickly.

Fast blooming daffodils