Thursday 5 March 2015

March forth in the garden

Posted by Rosie

Bother - I'm a day late to get the date right for this title!!  Oh well, I'll run with it anyway.  

But first I must say a HUGE thank you to Annie over at Mammasuarus who, after her mini-break here at Eco-Gites of Lenault with her lovely family, wrote such a wonderful blog post about the gite, the garden and me!  I have to say after trying to keep my picture off the internet it was a bit of a shock seeing my face jump out at me when I started to read!!

So, March - what have you got for us?  So far it would seem a mix of sleet at 45º ...

March sleet

and frost.  

March frost

However when the sun does come out the temperature warms up more now and I have had 15-20º in the polytunnel this week meaning things are really beginning to get going in there at last.


When I showed Annie around the polytunnel there wasn't really too much to see, thanks to the mice, but I can report that my mouse-proofing plans seem to be working.  The broad bean and mangetout seeds I had up in the loft room have germinated and been put back in the polytunnel.  Now my bedroom is full of seed trays of tomatoes and peppers (and the cat is banned as HE thinks seed trays = litter tray).   Back in the polytunnel I have sown more seeds in the mouse-proof cold frame and others in the beds.  The mice seem to have left these alone so maybe they don't like carrot, Japanese greens, rocket and turnips!  Fingers crossed the growing season is on it's way.

The mouse-proof cold frame

Late leeks, lettuce and early onions

Outside the soil is still too wet and cold to do much but there are more signs of spring approaching which I blogged about yesterday.  Here are a couple more pictures to prove the winter will soon be behind us (she writes hopefully).

One brave little viola greeting guests at the gite front door

Primroses and plenty of new growth

Oh and for those of you who saw the piglet picture over on Mammasaurus last week here's another picture of Toggle and Ginger.  They are enjoying some warm sunshine on their backs and tasty weedy snacks from the polytunnel.

Toggle and Ginger, piglets at Eco-Gites of Lenault

Has spring sprung in your part of the world?  I'm heading over to  Annie's How Does Your garden Grow linky to see what I hope are loads of pictures of spring flowers and veg garden beginnings.


Simple Wanderlust

27 comments :

  1. Oh, I am so ready for spring now. I love seeing a few blooms and shoots, telling me that it's nearly here. Those piglets are very cute!

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    1. Let's just hope winter has still got something hidden up his sleeve for us.

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  2. hopefully the sleet and frost will stay away so the sun can continue to shine!

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    1. The forecast is for daytime warmth but still night frosts.

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  3. If you need me to blur out your face in those photos just say - or even funnier I could photoshop Boris's head on ;) Such a caring sharing kind of gal aren't I?

    So happy to hear that the mice proofing is working and the temp in the tunnel is getting warmer. I'm off to peek at the sings of Spring now!

    (thank you for joining in again lovely xx)

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    1. It's fine and I have got over the shock now ;) Yup - over 20ºC in there yesterday.I am back to daily watering duties.

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  4. I keep checking on my broadbeans every day to see if they have germinated. I forgot to label when I planted them so it's all a bit of a wait and see approach. Adorable piglets :)

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    1. I might try -planting some outside soon too. Love broad beans!

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  5. Yay for the mice proofing! So lovely to see some pops of colour.
    And the piglets, so cute

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  6. Oh I'm glad the mice no longer can get hold of your seeds and plantings! Those piglets look too huggable.

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  7. Lovely series of photos, and the piglets are adorable. It is also extremely cold here...warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. :)

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    1. Ooh, yes, I imagine spring is still a way off yet with you.

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  8. Hooray for your mouse-proofing plans working. Toggle and ginger are adorable, I do love a cute pig! Spring has so almost sprung here - the front garden is well on its way but because the back gets next to no sun at the moment things are a little further behind.

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    1. We are still gettign the frosty mornings but this afternoon it hit 14ºC outside. Lovely.

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  9. Lovely pictures. It has been a bit up and down here too for March. We had snow and frost like you then today has been lovely x #HDYGG

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    1. Let's hope the lovely weather continues although I doubt winter is totally finished with us just yet.

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  10. Wow, I'm impressed with your mouse-proofing efforts! So glad it's all paying off.

    I can't believe how much sowing and growing you have going on already - I have to get cracking this weekend!

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    1. I could still lose it all to some late bad weather ...

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  11. It's lovely to see so many seeds already germinating. We used to have a mouse problem in the garden (they liked the bird food) but my many feline visitors have now stopped them!

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    1. We have 4 cats but they seem to prefer hunting in the fields to the garden!

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  12. Such a clever title...couldn't you just change the publishing date?!! It's amazing the difference between north and south France right now for springiness...you can take a look at the garden at Lou Messugo in my #HDYGG post if you like!!! I linked up a day late what with all that was going on on my blog yesterday, but I hope some people might still see it. I just adoooorrrrrrrrrrrrre your piggies, I want them! Too cute.

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    1. Everyone seems to love my piggies! I will read your blog, just as soon as I have read the ones that have linked up to #AnimalTales :)

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  13. that frost looks heavy still there, we have frost still but not that harsh. i absolutely love the faces of your pigs very kissable are they going to end up in a sarnie eventually??

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  14. Loving the mouse-proofing, hope it is still working! I've un-bubblewrapped some pots here and it looks like I i should have sent it your way !

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