Above, I bit the bullet and just planted things out. Fingers crossed!
Slug bait is an absolute must, the pests are everywhere and I'm determined not to feed them any more.


Above: C has put up vanes and netting for the peas and beans. Hurrah!
Below: Really  pleased with the onions, garlic and shallots. I hoed in between the rows.

Above: C has widened the holes for the strawberry plants. They should be flowering soon.
Below: The asters and marigolds I re-potted are not only clinging on to life but actually growing big and strong.
I have larger pots for some plants. Begonias have now all been planted out and just need to hang out in the greenhouse for a week or so until it looks like the risk of frost has passed.
Upon reading the small print I learned that sweet peas will not be flowering until next year, irritatingly, but they needed to grow in the individual pots.
Methembrembomebresimisms (the big furls of greenery on the left, below). They have done a bit too well. Confusingly, the strong looking plant has a cotton-like piece of thread connecting the foliage to the root so planting out has been a delicate process. I should have thinned them.
In the middle we have a few aquilegia which are teeny tiny but I'm optimistic they'll grow soon.

Selfie.
Sophie

Ever the rebel, I decided that although some seeds wanted to be sown outdoors, they were bally well going to be planted inside regardless. It's tough luck. Even the sunflowers are in pots. I'm planning to grow some enormous ones to relive the magic of doing so at Primary School.
There are so many trays in the greenhouse now that they're taking up almost all the space. I have to say that it's making me so happy.
The seeds I bought are a wonderful mix of different flowers. Seeing so many varieties in bloom would make for such a sight. Below is a picture of a mix of cottage annuals. All the seeds were so diverse in shape and size. Admittedly these would be better sown direct (and I probably will with the remainder of the packet) but I gleefully inspected my handful of curious dry seeds from the long and wispy to the round, to flakes and curls.
Things are a little chaotic this spring but in the interest of maintaining momentum I'm going with it and trying to clear up as I go. My thinking is that I'd rather get plenty started and then have a tidy up. Hopefully, I'll learn some useful tops along the way that I can use next year. Already, I'm thinking of the big clean and tidy that I can do over winter next year.
Much better! I'm keeping them in the greenhouse for a good long while until the risk of frost is gone. I'm excited already. Eeeep!
Tell me. Are you growing flowers this year? Or do you have memories of family doing so?
Sophie

 C had planted of seeds of his own over the last few weeks including cabbage, carrot, brassicas and leeks. My interest was piqued in seeing how many little green shoots had appeared.
I'm trying to be methodical in how I plant my trays and label them so I can keep track of which is which.
I can remember my grandmother's fingers when she was handling plants; all soft but very sure when it came to touching the soil or compost. They never got too dirty, she always bushed off the excess, her short nails never exacerbating the mess. She could tell if something needed watering by pressing it with her thumb. I am yet to really understand things in the way I wish to, but I know it will take time.
My new trays were filled with soil, I carefully tried to break up lumps and delicately fill each pod. add the seeds (at least 2 per pod in the assumption that some will fail to germinate), then add a sprinkling of compost and gently pat down to finish off the job.
I want this to be a success.
Sophie