More bulb planting

Started work on the pond surrounding area yesterday. That pond could look so nice if only I kept on top of all the wild things that keep taking over. Extracted huge triffid like brambles that snake and grasp at plants and earth at great seed, planting defiant root systems at their tips as they go. Tried to extract a huge fern right at the pond edge. That will grow back. The planted groups of 5 or 6 dwarf narcissus bulbs in between the boulders. If I can keep the winter heliotrope and ground alder trying to prevent them growing in the spring. Underneath the azaleas I came across a white blob buried in the earth. It had an egg membrane like skin on it then as this punctured there was a gelatinous blob inside. What was that?! It seems it was a stinkhorn egg or ‘witches mushroom’

I need to have a better plan for that pond.

November update

Long time no write. I must keep a record of what I do as I keep forgetting the small details of what went in where!

Bought a load of bulbs from Wilkos – half price at the moment as I suppose it’s nearly the end of the planting season but it’s been so mild, difficult to compute that.

Today, for the record, I looked at the western border below the newly transplanted mombretia and weeded some roots of oregano and ground elder out. I’m wondering if the mombretia once they get going won’t trample all over any bulbs I plant so maybe stick to daffodils there? Outside the western kitchen window I planted 15 dwarf crocuses – there were a few other bulbs lurking in the soil below..I wonder what they are? ! Then outside the northern kitchen window I planted 15 giant crocuses so they can lighten up the mornings in early spring.

Contemplating the box of remaining assorted bulbs, spotted garlic I’d ordered. Better get that in. Each year I try and try to grow garlic successfully but failure in some way has followed failure. I’ve tried different sites, adding chicken manure compost, planting them in a tub but all succumb to rust or failure to grow fat garlic heads. This time I’ve sown two rows in the new raised bed, over a layer of compost. the western most row is the bought bulbs, satvium casablanca. The eastern row is a bulb head that started sprouting in the kitchen. Probably some warm climate preferring Spanish variety that won’t like cooler winters. We’ll see