Garden - progress and disappointments

The missing clamps for my polytunnel arrived by airmail a few days before John was due to depart so we were able to press on and finish the construction. There was a stiff breeze in the afternoon when we were putting the cover on so that was quite challenging but we didn't have time to wait for a calmer day. We eventually got it secured and tensioned and the doors in place.

We also put up some wind netting in front of it and to one side to hopefully give it some protection. This will also keep the geese out of the vegetable patch in the winter. They seem to be returning to the area in large numbers but have not come into the garden yet.

The compost bin John built from a packing crate we got from the tip was installed behind the polytunnel.

I subsequently bought some planks and built raised beds on either side of a path through the polytunnel. I then planted some young brocoli, kale, cabbage and leek plants in one bed and felt very chuffed with myself.

By the next morning several of the plants had been reduced to skeletons. I bought some slug pellets and applied liberally but the destruction continued. I have decided the culprits are earwigs. These only arrived in the island about 5 years ago but have multiplied alarmingly. When I looked inside the compost bin there are literally thousands of them and they are under every stone or plant you move. There doesn't seem to be anything that eats them and they are reaching plague proportions. I presume many die in the winter as there were far fewer earlier in the year.
I have planted up the rockery with aubretia, rockroses, saxifrages and other plants I have grown from seed. Time will tell what will succeed here.

The flower bed I dug in front of the house is beginning to look quite attractive as various things are coming into flower. As the garden centre gets things from UK spring bulbs came in October. I was assured that if you planted them then they would flower in the British spring and again in the Falkland spring so I bought some crocuses and small daffodils. Most of them have come up and started flowering. Unfortunately something - I suspect sparrows are eating all the flowers as soon as they come out.