Still no sign of the peas (or beans)

I am starting to wonder where they are!

Meanwhile, have been getting on with an endless list of things to do. I have planted three apple trees on the edges of what used to be a lawn. I wasn't really planning this one, but they were on offer at four pounds each in Aldi which seemed too good to miss. I got a Granny Smith, A Jonagold and an old english variety (apparently) called Elstar. It seemed like the rain descended the day I bought them, so they have been waiting in my shed for about three weeks. At least it gave me some time to read up on fruit trees and planting. Happily the ground has dried out just as the trees have started to bud, so getting them in the ground was timely. They don't look much as yet, but the buds are looking noticibly larger since I planted them two days ago. That's the Granny Smith above.

I got another great bargain recently at B + Q (I am a bit of a bargain shopper).I found some water damaged bamboo edging reduced from ten pounds to ten pence a strip. I bought as many as I could manage which was about fifeteen. I have used six of them around the fruit trees - to hold a mulch around their bases, and am thinking about using the rest to raise some beds in the veg patch, though I am not sure whether they have been treated with anything I might not want in the veg garden. Does anyone know?

Yesterday I planted six shallots next to the garlic. I will put some more in next month.

Today I have sown some carrot seeds in a container. I tried growing them in the ground last year but the slugs devestated them as they came up. So this year I've got some special Mini Finger seeds which are apparently suited to container growing. I used a pot that has copper tape around it - last year I grew a courgette in it. I have re-used the same compost, adding some sand, calcified seaweed and bonemeal to revitalise it. I bought the last two for the tree planting, so thought I might as well make use of them. I don't really know what I am doing with these mixes - I am hoping it will become clear as I go along!

That last photo is a nets of snails I found today living in a dry stone wall. Though they limit what I can grow in the garden I can't bring myself to harm them, as I am a bit daft like that and they are beautiful creatures when you look at them closely.