It really hit me today, how much work I have ahead of me. Getting these beds back into working order is going to be a huge job.

I’ve done about half the length of the outside of the fence, putting down edging pieces in the trough between the fence and the grass. The grass will still come through, but I hope to at least slow it down. The grass that I took out from under the frames was already certainly weakened.

The two robins were back and it was when they sitting on neighbouring fenceposts that I realised that I’d forgotten my phone. So I went back home for it, the first frustration of tools never being where I wanted them today. This is the closest I could get them together, but they were back following me around. My guess is that the one in the bed is the usual one and the one on the shed is the newcomer.

Along with the realisation of the work ahead comes the decision to put an inner edge of cardboard around all the beds. Even if the beds haven’t been put on grass, I want put up the best defence possible.

With all the clay removed and the plants tidied and fluffed up, I put 10 Hotpants pink and white tulip bulbs in the front left corner, and filled the rest of the gaps with 20 mixed double narcissi bulbs. On top went a whole bag of Levington’s compost, which turned out to be absolutely lovely stuff. Let’s hope it stays good for more beds and next year’s pottings.