Thursday 18 March 2021

Part time Gardening in the UK and Dubai

I'm a bit behind with tidying up the garden after winter, ready to start the spring planting. I was back in Dubai over the winter and will be returning during Spring, until the start of summer.

So this was how I left the garden back in November.

It's just ongoing maintenance until we decide if we're staying here or going to move. If we stay, we have plans to build a summer house, with a lean to green house and storage for gardening tools and a veranda in the top right hand corner as that boundary is South facing and a combination of raised beds, gravel paths, herb gardens and vegetable rows, basically no lawn, a combined relaxing garden and allotment in one. The existing shed will be removed and rebuilt out of shot along the length of the house and we plan on extending the conservatory. Out the front we'll build a wall, put in gates, create room for additional parking and level the garden off.


I can't wait for our outdoor furniture to arrive as it can be left outdoors 24/7, at the moment this is the only day this year I've set the chair and table up, otherwise all I've done is work in the garden and not just sat down to enjoy it.

The dog however is enjoying the warmer weather and making the most of his time outside.




Flowers for Mother's Day and new gloves and secateurs from Gardeners World arrived and kick started garden prep with mowing the lawns and weeding the front garden. Once it looked like I'd achieved something, it made getting started on the rest much easier.



10 years ago there was a simple border in the back garden, however it was badly overgrown and had trees growing in it from one neighbours garden, whilst the other neighbours replaced their fence and added back boards, the soil dug up was dumped on our side of the fence, which is totally unacceptable, but it's now my job, like the tree saps to sort out.

The bricks I placed to create an edge were consumed by the additional soil over the year, so this year I'm levelling it off and using the excess soil to fill plant pots that came over last year.


I've planted out the peas and beans grown in the green house over the winter, moved the herbs and strawberry plants into the pots and also planted onions and garlic. I'll unwrap the Bay and Olive tree in the next week or so.

There are seedlings germinating on the window sill and the same seeds being grown in the green house also. I'm hoping to be able to plant out from the kitchen before I leave for Dubai and it'll be interesting to see what grows in the greenhouse that I can plant out in the summer.



In the meantime the laminator has been put back to use for labelling, once I've finished weeding the borders, I'll scatter some wild flower seed and plant some sunflowers, front and back.


I've been spending a lot of time in the conservatory as the sun shine sin here in the afternoon, I need to swop the curtains for something lighter now the warmer weather is coming. I've taken out a subscription for Gardeners World so I can learn more about gardening and have download a plant app to suss out weeds from seedlings.


The garden in Dubai is very different to here, when I return I doubt I'll be able to sit outside in it and enjoy it as it'll be too hot, will organise the sale of the fence and removal of plants and trees and the garden furniture will be shipped back to the UK.
Check out Augusts Gardening post that covers the differences between Gardening in the UK and Dubai in summer.




12 comments:

  1. It sounds like you are very organised with your gardening and have some great plans. My kitchen window is full of various pots and some have started growing. The strawberries and tomatoes. x

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    1. I'm a bit late with the planting, good luck with the strawberries, I've never been able to grow them from seed

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  2. You have grand plans for your garden! It must be hard to juggle between the two places, hoping that they will still look good when you return each time. Your dog looks very happy in the sun :)

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    1. will be lovely to be in one place long enough to see a season or two through, no idea how I'll feel about a whole year

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  3. You do well to concentrate on 'this season' gardening with seeds and small plants. There's no point looking too long term until you know your plans. Well done!

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  4. Love how your dog is clearly celebrating the arrival of good weather!

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    1. the dog and the cat are loving being back outdoors now

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  5. You sound so organised. I'm terrible with my garden. My mother in law pops over periodically to keep it in check! We do have some tomato plants germinating on our kitchen window sill though that the boys have planted. #PoCoLo

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    1. organised yes as I'm on my own and no job so I need something to focus on

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  6. You have been impressively busy! I love the pictures of Bob enjoying the garden, especially where he's flat out! Now that we have the puppy, we have our own landscape gardener, although now he's 10 months he's much better behaved in the garden. #PoCoLo

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    1. Bob has his moments where he wants to help me dig, don't be fooled by the relaxing, butter wouldn't melt' look

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