I am glad to report that I dug up or forked up a recycle bin load of buttercups yesterday and now my border is buttercup free (for now).
Tip is to use a large fork that way you won't be leaving roots in the soil to grow again and fork the whole lot out, even if the soil is clumping to the roots. And because all the buttercups have come out, the gravel stones I placed on top has been forked in so will assist with drainage in that area, and I can then mulch again compost on top.
I may have been too early, but I took the opportunity to scatter the rest of my seeds including poppy into this freshly forked bed. The seeds were old ones of cabbage, caulis, broccoli and leek. Of course, a horticulturalist would raise them in punnets and trays and prick out each one carefully and put them in rows. But as these seeds weren't fresh I don't know if they will geminate, so I scattered the whole lot over the border. Its very disheartening to take all the trouble to sow seed that won't grow as they have expired.
Today looks like a good day which is fine after the few frosty days we've had the past week. I have been meaning to get ajugas but they are very expensive at the garden centre (both Kings and Mitre 10) at $9 a pot for just one. The ones I had planted scrounged from the back door it seems the chickens immediately ripped to pieces, so, that puts paid to that idea.
I ended up buying a sack of pea straw mulch to mulch the corner bed, I'm sure the Dutch Iris would appreciate the cover although the chickens like to scratch around there as well.
I am reading my native plants guide and decide I would like creeping fuschia in one of my beds as a groundcover. I am into natives because they really do much better than exotics in my garden. However I would still like Hellebores for under the maple (when I can find a colour and variety I like) along with ferns as I love the flowers and, they are easier to handle than flower carpet roses.
A trip up to Palmers Gardenworld may be in order as they have a lot more variety there so I plan to get growing this week and prepare for spring.
