Spring is on its way despite the cold snap we’re experiencing throughout Europe. However, the sun is shining beautifully in the Lot, accompanied by bright blue skies which is a motivation in its self! Time to start the exciting task of getting Gite La Fleurieu prepared for our guests for 2018.

Gardening and working on the exterior is our main focus at this time of the year, we welcome the change! Spotting the buds forming and spring shoots peeking through in their bright yellows and blues is a sure sign spring is springing – not forgetting a sighting of the return of geese flying overhead in formation if we’re lucky!

 

Beautiful view has inspired me to create a wildflower garden

 

Lots of new projects we’ve been planning are soon to start, such as making a new dining area for the rear terrace and creating a new vegetable/flower garden. I love the idea of growing a cut flower garden and being able to fill the house with fresh cut flowers throughout spring and summer, not to mention the lovely displays they will provide outdoors.

Dahlias are a big must on my list, because of their long-lived flowering season and interesting choice of shape and colour – as well as a wildflower garden. Last summer, a friend of mine took me up to a pretty hamlet up on a hill, not far from us. The hamlet was surrounded by rows upon rows of rolling vines, which were edged with an array of wild flowers – it was a beautiful sight. Ever since then I have wanted to create something just as special.

 

Selecting seeds this spring for the vegetable garden

 

 

I’ve started to sow the first lot of seeds for the vegetable garden, some the same as last year and some new varieties to explore. I thoroughly enjoy selecting seeds for the season ahead and learning from previous years experimenting. As well as tomatoes, peppers, courgette, squash, lettuce and beetroot, we’re going to try out two new varieties of chillies, extra hot for Andrew! As well as radishes, red onions, and melons. We hope to have lots of organic produce to offer our guests who stay at Gite la Fleurieu.

So, lots to do outside over the next two months, but in my opinion, it’s the best place to be at this time of the year.

Have you had success with growing flowers or vegetables from seed? Let us know
in the comments below.