Plants like lupins, ryegrass and field beans can help fix nitrogen in the soil, suppress weeds and increase biodiversity
I
just removed a half-filled bottle of Lucozade from the euphorbia trough. It was left there by one of the scaffolders. “Are you sure that’s Lucozade?” ventured a visiting architect, which made me see the energy drink in a new light.
All of which is to say: the garden is a mess. But there’s a lot to be said for negligence; I returned from holiday to find a sunflower had appeared in the back corner.
This week, though, sees some necessary firefighting. I’m six months pregnant and horribly overwhelmed, so I’ve enlisted the help of a local gardener to tackle the more pernicious intruders (such as green alkanet, which leaves my ankles feeling bitten whenever I hang out the washing, and some of the many robinia saplings that have appeared from the neighbour’s great big, beautiful tree) while leaving the good stuff behind. Then, in the patches that open up, I’ll be sowing green manure.
