After several weeks of rain—and two bouts of flooding—the wildflowers have sprung up all over the land and are growing fast. Strimming the driveway and camping pitches is our main focus for now, so there’s space for guests, but we’re leaving the rest to the pollinators for the time being. Once the flowers have finished, we’ll cut those areas too. All the cuttings are left on the ground, and we’re working to cover bare patches so that something more permanent can take hold over time.

We were kindly given an apple tree, only to learn they need a second one nearby to produce fruit—so we’ve now bought and planted a second. Along one of our ridges, we’ve also planted some rosemary. If it does well, we plan to add more and form a hedge for extra structure and scent.

Our avocado tree, still in its pot, has been cut back to half its height. It’s responding well, with new shoots starting to come through. We’ll plant it out properly this spring. In the meantime, we’ve cleared a large, mounded area ready for growing tomatoes, and our chilli plants have been spending time outside each day to harden off before they go into the raised beds.