Lily...

After a week of very unsettled weather we have had a week of beautiful sunshine and now it is forecast for unsettled. That's Great Britain for you. Shouldn't grumble though....we are very lucky really when you compare to some countries.
The first week of fine weather saw me out in the garden every day. I had managed to pace myself and spent short amounts of time tidying the borders. I was very proud of myself even if it did take me five days to do what I would, in the past, have done in a day. I rested for a few days, I really needed to, and then decided to tackle the small front garden. Lily of the valley has taken over there, so on Monday I thought a couple of hours gentle gardening would resolve the problem. BIG mistake. Who would believe that a plant with such small and delicate flowers could be so hard to dig out. It took four hours to clear a patch measuring three feet by two. Let this be a warning to anyone who wants this particularly beautiful plant in their garden. Don't!!!!....unless you keep it in troughs or large planters. The root system is so tightly meshed and travels for miles!..well it seems like miles. I had to start by chipping away with a small hand fork to loosen soil and then try and dig underneath and lift with a large garden fork. I managed it with a lot of sweat and blisters. Now the problem is that there is a lot more of the stuff which has grown in my other plants...I will have to wait until they have all finished flowering, then dig them out, separate from Lily..and then replant what I want to keep. Just the thought of having to do that is daunting.