Gardening therapy

Me too. At the moment I sit in the conservatory making plans for when my chemo is over. I am having quite some time off on sick leave so I hope to use it wisely!!!!

I have a different type of cancer but letting my garden go during treatment has been one of the biggest sacrifices I've had to make (even though our extreme heat and extreme water restrictions would likely have killed it anyway this summer).

As autumn approaches, I'm planning what I want to plant when my chemo is over and it's safe to get my hands dirty again.  I don't normally sow stuff in autumn and winter but I can't wait to do so this year.

Lolie I too am really sad that I had to let my garden go over the autumn and winter. So looking forward to the spring when hopefully chemo should be over and I can get it up together again.  Love my garden - it will be therapeutic to get out there again. 

 I moved here for the garden …...Took 80 cuttings of pelargoniums and Salvias , they are on every available window ledge and in a " Heath Robinson " cold frame , built from old fridge shelves . I am desperate to get them back in the ground !!!  Started my cornflowers off today in a propagator ….fingers crossed !! Got luck to all of you !

Good for you for the cornflowers !! I took loads of cuttings of hortneias last summer and my mum is plant sitting for me over winter in her cold frame. I so hope to plant a wall of hortensias - a bit symbolic !!

Planning to force my rhubarb this year. I think I can just put an old bucket over it now - anyone know if this is the case ?

And will soon be looking chit out my spuds ready to plant on Good Friday ...

And don't get me started on my hens !!!

I went for a cuppa with a friend today who had just been weeding her flower beds - so impressed. I do not have the energy so far. I did manage to pull a rogue weed out of my trough of mini daffs !! The best I have done so far !! Definitely therapeutic to be out in the garden - and to be planning it all too.

My gardens gone to pot as well. Between 2 rabbits,dog ,child and loads of rain the lawn was pretty much trashed anyway, then I didn't manage to cut anything back last year or now. We are hoping to get a patio and some raised flower beds soon, make it a bit easier to maintain. If the rain stops I might go out and do some pruning/dead heading. Very therapeutic, I can pretend I'm hacking cancer cells!!!!

Hi Cheeboe

I spent the Summer last year planning and directing for low maintenance back garden so veg garden now two large raised boxes ( rather  than 4 low small ones ) .Peas and beans coming on indoors onions in potato chitting ,four patio fruit trees and coloured grasses under fleeces waiting for spring  (birthday presents ) . All fenced off from dog .

Then a gardener just finished removing trashed lawn and paved area . Lots of pots and bulbs/ plants waiting to go in .

Next is redo rockery and a small bee /butterfly area which is on right hand of photo next to other deck.

I feel able to get out and do a little now except weather disagrees .

cant wait for winter to be over .

margaret x

Hi all,

yes, gardening is great! And yes FroggyinFrance you can force rhubarb by putting an overturned bucket over it, but that will really damage that root. So if you want to do this I suggest you divide the rhubarb and only force one root, then you’ve a chance to see if it recovers in time for the following year. 

Hubs set his tomato seeds in the propagator only a couple of days back and I keep looking at some rudbeckia seeds I harvested last autumn and wondering when to put them in. 
hugs xxx

Northerner it looks great Margaret!! Love the different size paving. We have a very similar pergola to you. We've been watching a lot of garden rescue to get some ideas . Must get cracking! X