I do love to garden. But sometimes I think I have bitten off more than I can chew. After thirteen or so years of renting, I was so eager to start my own garden. It is only now, three years on, that I am starting to clean up the rough edges.

Today and yesterday was spent cleaning up the herb bed. The rogue strawberries were dug out ruthlessly, and the large herbs were spread out nicely in the bed so they can breathe again.

After the herb bed I moved into the raspberries, and started cleaning out the old canes while tying up the new ones. I’ve got about half the patch finished now, and it all looks very tidy and much happier, even under the hot summer sun.

Then there is the vegetable garden. Why is it that the boy’s neglected box is quite so lush? I think the answer lies in the fact that his box is the first to get shade in the afternoon. Will have to rotate the boxes next year, I think!