A week ago today our contractors started work on the steps up what had been the camomile bank.  Now finished and partly planted up we are totally delighted.  It has been very hard work when they left . The "tiding" up was up to us.  The main problem with this bank, which is south facing but slopes towards the cottage, is that half of it the soil is quite light and the other half is almost total clay.  Very, very solid clay.  I have just spent the afternoon digging it up and working barrow after barrow of compost into it in and attempt to lighten the soil.  I know that I will have to carry on with this for many seasons to come if I am to transform the soil and the right hand side of the bank and of course this now leaves me with the question.  What to plant. 

The camomile bank was a good idea but it has never worked as well as we had hoped, indeed instead of getting more and more established it has been a bigger and bigger problem each year with the plants refusing to cover the ground and give the effect we had wanted.  The large conifers that were on the edge of the bank have been removed as they were passing their sell by date and now we are having steps put into the bank and then completely re-planting the area (which plants are still to be decided)  The steps have been all most complete in one day and just a few finishing touches now to be done.  You will find pictures on the website.

Cupid has joined us here at Holmcroft.  I was told that there should be something in every garden that makes you smile and we hope that Cupid will fit the bill.  I found him in a small village just down the road and the sum asked from him has been donated to charity.  He was purchased in January and has spent the past few months in the garage but now has been put in his new home in the woodland garden.  We think he looks good, the dog is not so sure! 

At last!  In the last few days it has finally felt like spring.  The seeds are growing well in the greenhouse, the new tree is in place the first cut of the lawn has been completed and the path in the woodland is well under way.  According to Metcheck the sun is set to shine now right into May.  I suppose by that time we shall be crying out for rain, but not too loudly.  The last time I wished for rain it did not stop for three months.