The plot is now done for this year. I’ve tied string around a couple of branches on the apple tree as a reminder to evaluate them for removal. I think the one at the front would make a big hole, so it might just be shortened. The one on the right would probably help to thin things out.

Bed 1, half of Bed 7 and Bed 11 have been weeded and covered. I took the rudbeckias out of Bed 1 and moved them to the left boundary, particularly to the rough spot by the shed. We’ll see if they come back next year.

I weeded Bed 6, and the garlic and anise hyssop are now left to see what they do in the spring. I dug upa few more parsnips for Christmas. The first ones were quite small, so I kept going until we had enough. Next time, I’ll head to the left end of the middle row; it looks like there’s a big one there.

About half of the triangle still needed weeding, so that’s now done, with lots of rubbish is gone. The big geum has died off in the middle, so I dug up the woody bit and am left with two smaller, separate plants.

We saw a sparrowhawk chase a small bird, which dived around the elder, meaning that the sparrowhawk couldn’t follow. Otherwise, I was accompanied by a couple of great tits, a couple of blue tits, and the robin. I also spied the dunnock through the fence.

The pond is set for the winter. The candytuft has gone great guns at the back. In the spring I need to sprinkle some seed among the pebbles I put on the front shelf to try and get some roots holding all that together.