Way back at the beginning of the month, I set myself the challenge of getting out into the garden and reclaiming it for the family. Did I manage it? Well…

At the beginning of the month our garden resembled a jungle. Albeit a small one. My mum came up for the day and started chopping things back. Although this is my gardening style of choice, I had been afraid to do so as I didn’t want to kill everything in the garden. Seeing my mum doing it though (and realising where I learned my gardening technique) gave me the confidence to get out there and “tidy up”.

The bushes had grown so big that the plants underneath were struggling for light. With a bit of hacking slight prune, the ground plants can now be seen and are starting to look healthier.

I have tied up the clematis that is growing up the shed, and dug up a bush that was threatening to take over the garden. I have weeded and tidied and generally made the garden less of a jungle. I even hung flags to claim it as ours.

There is a rose bush by the patio that has produced a huge amount of  scented flowers this spring. However, it has grown like nothing I have ever known and is now more of a small tree. I consulted with Lord Alan of Titchmarsh, but all he told me was pruning roses depends on the type of rose you have. Umm, a giant one? He didn’t have instructions for that kind. After extensive research (I asked my dad) my boyfriend and I have made the decision to let my natural gardening technique come into its own (ie I will hack it back). We need to replace the fence panels behind it so have to cut it right down anyway. Also, thorns aren’t overly toddler friendly, so if it does die as a result of its “pruning” neither of us will be too sad. We’ll see what happens.

The vegetable patch is not up and running yet. I discovered some local cats (not ours) have been using it as a toilet, so am going to dig it all over, add some compost from our overflowing compost heap, and put a net over it. I have brought myself this book which apparently will tell me everything I need to know about growing veg. Watch this space.

Although I didn’t achieve everything I set out to achieve in the garden this month, I still feel it was a big success. I have regularly spent thirty minutes pottering while Little M sleeps. I pull weeds out as I pass them, and am motivated to do more. Big M wants to help out too, so we are going to get her some diddy tools. This is an ongoing project, and something I will have to work hard to maintain. Strangely that doesn’t put me off.  Somehow, I think I may actually be turning into a gardener. Blow me down.

And now it’s your turn. How did you do in your personal challenge for June? Did you manage it? Use the linky tool below to let us know.