Spring ???

It can't be... 1st March, and I have spent the morning on the allotment! To my surprise, the soil was light and easy to turn, so I have dug over a bed-and-a-bit, which is about all my back can cope with for today. It is really lovely out there - there was just a trace of frost when I got started at about 9.30, and a couple of robins were trying to out-do each other in a contest of who could sing the loudest.

This is not the first gardening I have done this year though. Now that we have a few self-catering visitors booked to stay at The Old Bakery - our little cottage in Strathpeffer - we thought we should make a bit of an effort with the small and steeply-sloping patch of garden there. So far, I have cleared the weed growth from about a third of the plot, moved several badly-sited shrubs (which may or many not survive the move), removed a very straggly pampas grass and two ginormous gunnera plants. I have then installed a rather precipitous flight of steps up to a new, small paved patio area where we intend to site a bench and table. The plan is to create a nice spot for a morning coffee or maybe an evening glass of wine. Unfortunately, I have thus far failed to take a decent photograph of the area. I'll have another go next time I am there.

The Barn allotment -
not at its tidiest yet, but it is good to get the chance to make a start!