Tiny seeds.

With a good dose of sunshine it was a great opportunity to both get out and do some actual gardening. I've been posting about the birds because frankly there has been no real news in the flower beds. I've been reticent about tackling the borders as there are so many things just under the soil which I don't want to disturb but today it got the better of me. I've lost a fair few plants due to the heavy snow we had just a couple of months ago and there was absolutely no sign of life on them so up they came. I tweaked out little plugs of self seeded grass and the inevitable weed and then got out the fork to little break up some of the compacted soil. I've got great clumps of leafy perennials looking plump and promising. I did get out my gardening book from last year so I could see what the future in our garden holds; it can be difficult to visualise it when there's not much going on. I warmed myself in the sun whilst putting ornamental gourd seeds which had been soaked in warm water for two hours on top of damp potting compost then sprinkling with vermiculite and then moved on to bury little lupin seeds from past successes into small trays of compost. Both had a gentle watering before getting covered by plastic covers to warm them whilst in the greenhouse. Luke planted two and a half rows of onion sets. Last week's garlic bulbs have already popped out tiny green shoots so next weekend maybe there will be first earlies (potatoes) as neighbours in the patch.
Of course the hens were out with us all afternoon and worked so hard at turning over the borders that by five o'clock they all plonked themselves down under the Acer. Over our heads flew the local buzzard, using very little energy, cruising on a thermal till it circled twice over the wood before joining three others. I came indoors, mopped the floors and then settled down with a book. Half an hour later I woke up from an unintentional afternoon nap. Oh dear.