Sun and Showers.

We seem to have had almost every kind of weather today from light drizzle in the morning to beautiful sunshine followed by heavy showers. 

I spent the morning clearing more blanket weed and some of the floating plants out of the pond before my order of more ramshorn snails arrives. I also rescued pebbles from by the pond and used them to top up the stones in some of the raised beds and in the big planters in the back garden.  Eventually I shall put the new shingle over the gravel by the pond to match the rest of the garden. (This probably doesn't make sense but I know what I mean.)

Meanwhile I've been pondering over what to do with the edges between the shingle and the herbaceous borders in the corners. If money were no object then bricks or pavers would be my choice but frost proof bricks or pavers are expensive. Cheaper are the flexible plastic strips which you peg into the ground but I would prefer not to have plastic. So I had another look at pictures of gravel and shingle gardens and although I like a neat edge I much prefer a natural look. Beth Chatto's gravel garden (below) is more like the type of garden I'm aiming for though I would like the plants to be even more spread out. My current thought is to have solid planting along the edges of the borders, plants that don't die back in the winter like London Pride and marjoram which I already have.

Later on I had a frustrating time drilling holes in the walls of the sitting room and my study walls trying to locate the position of the studs (vertical wooden beams) behind the plasterboard. If I can work out where the studs are it will be a simple matter to screw brackets straight into the wood to put up some shelves. But none of the holes I drilled hit wood. - Peter has come home and tells me I need a longer drill bit which he will find for me in a minute.

Peter has been out coxing a row in the afternoon. It was sunny but once out on the sea you get very cold as the cox but he kept warm in his bright yellow work coat.