what a difference a week makes part II

Had a look at the plants put into the front garden and my thyme and rosemary are struggling a little but look like they should come good. The lavenders and marjoram are going great guns.
As shown in part I of todays posting, things are really taking off.  I am pleased to report the hitherto struggling comfrey has settled into its new spot well.


My most unfinished area in the back garden is improving with the violets settling in ok, columbine and helebore responding well to an earlyspring feed, and lots of lovely new growth on the nasturtiums.

Helebore, columbine and violets

the darker leaf is the new growth, im not sure if the variegations will carry into the second season

The nasturiums sit behind and to the left of the helebore and its friends, and there is about a sq metre of space in front of them which i intend to fill with spinach for this spring/summer. the fence to the right is angled and i will most likely grow some potatoes in a bag against the fenceline. 
The soil in this area has been neglected and walked on, it gets lowish sunlight and virtually no rain. It has all been fed with seaweed emulsion and a little compost which has helped immensely. The plants in this area are all fairly shade tolerant and hardy.

I have been weeding a couple of times a week in the entire backyard, I think I am winning with my own space, the weeds are less and I am getting to them earlier in their cycle. 
Weed invasion from next door may be an issue the area was once a veggie patch but is now weed laden and there are running grasses sneaking under the fence.
The grape vine and fruit tree shown in Part I are the only remnants of what looks like a once lovely garden.
The fruit tree is in desperate need of attention, feeding pruning weeding mulching I think it may be a peach or perhaps an almond, the fruit is non existant and the blossoms drop heavily and quickly so i havent really seen what it puts out.
The grape, hardy as they are, gets watered  "accidentally" through the fence, and I try and get a little food to it as it generously sends some of its branches to us and manages to fruit.

 *Note : remember to get some netting, lost the entire harvest to birds last year.*

There is also the infamous Jasmine (below) winding its way across from our other neighbours yard. Lovely plant, if invasive, pruned about 50% off what had climbed over the fence a few weeks ago, it could probably use more pruning but I may hold off until the flowers are finished, except where it is sneaking through the fence at its base and attacking the grapevine.

invasive but beautiful

to do list:
more prep in the soon to be tomato/bean area
feeding and weeding
prep frames, bean mesh, pots and stakes
**seeds MUST go into trays this week

what a difference a week makes

Along the fenceline

Everything is budding up or blooming now

Broadbeans, one of my favourite flowers

The grapevine growing across from next door is starting to swell with buds

The Sage plants are really starting to take off, 2nd year plants

Strawberries were moved about 10 days back showing a lot of new growth. One can still see the effects of my grey watering from last summer in the slight leaf discolouration, will be more cautious in my use of graywater this summer

Blossom and Grape tendril, looking quite picturesque against our old fence.

sunshine

today the sun came out

The thyme, marjoram, lavender and rosemary are planted
The front beds have been weeded and fed.

Garlic and shallots around one of the new lavenders

Blueberries about to burst into flower

A bucketful of violets thinned from the front beds go towards completing
the unfinished area (see 31 august for a "before" shot)

its getting warmer

It is time to start my seeds off very soon.

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sunflowers saved from last years harvest

These Scarlet Runner seeds were saved specifically because they were from early blooms and it was very hot.

Hopefully their progeny will have slightly more heat tolerance

Tea

I have planted  my Camellia Sinesis amongst the camellias and azaleas that were already in place, and am looking forward to picking and drinking my first cup of tea.
This plant will get fair light with defence from noon and afternoon sun in summer. I am hoping the spot is cool enough the provide the cold element they need to flourish.

Included an addition of manure/compost to the immediate area, acidity is maintained by leaf and flower drop from the decorative plants.

In the same bed are my blueberries, which have settled in well through winter after a poor start last season some nice buds forming, will likely have to remove the flower buds for the long term health of the plant