“… makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Fed up with perpetual cold wind and rain, I’ve just ordered (yet another!) David Austin rose, a new variety with the wonderful name Eustacia Vye. She … Continue reading
It’s hard going, but worth it; I’m now consolidating the second row of individual raised beds into larger areas, working around the fruit cage and flower bed which remain enclosed. The advantages are more space for planting and quite a … Continue reading
The snowdrops transplanted from my mother’s garden are thriving at the foot of the fruit trees along the path leading from the five-bar gate to the 12 ‘secret’ plots beyond. The bare root gage I planted last year to replace … Continue reading
The past two days have been busy clearing and mulching the allotment. The dear man who has the adjacent plot to mine is bearing the sadness of losing his wife and comes to find some solace in nature. We work … Continue reading
A cheery newly harvested cabbage to add to the christmas dinner table tomorrow… With all best wishes for a happy festive break and a fruitful year to come in 2019…
“It is a sad moment when the first phlox appears. It is the amber light indicating the end of the great burst of early summer and suggesting that we must now start looking forward to autumn. Not that I have … Continue reading
Perfect weather – not too hot, not too cold; just right for pottering and doing all the little things that needed to be done this weekend. Mowing, trimming, shredding cardboard for the compost heap, deadheading, weeding, sowing coriander (‘cruiser’), radish … Continue reading
It’s another world. Very warm and somehow comforting; I think because of the smell, which reminds me of my grandfathers’ greenhouses, one in Scotland growing tomatoes and carnations and the other in Yorkshire, growing tomatoes and more tomatoes! Both my … Continue reading
Strange to think back to the waterlogged days of winter, when the cloggy mud made it almost impossible to push the wheelbarrow along the path. That same path is now hard and the grass pale brown straw. Daily watering, at … Continue reading
Time to get out my wonderful Finnish steam juicer… The currants this year have suddenly ripened and are threatening to go over in the heat so I picked them all and will make jelly and jam tomorrow. The gooseberries are … Continue reading
Despite my annual vow never to grow peas again, (fighting the predations of mice before germination and pigeons when growing is a wearisome process – especially as they are so cheap and easy to buy frozen), yet again I succumbed … Continue reading
Arriving at the huerto at 06.30 this morning, the light was magical. As was this beautiful visitor; I was heading for a raspberry snack so had quite a surprise! Flowers now in abundance, the roses especially beautiful in their velvety … Continue reading
Some dismal surprises today on a flying visit to the huerto; pigeons have demolished my beautiful Golden Sweet mange tout, along with most of the chard, lettuces and much of the spinach. Asparagus beetles have been beetling away, and a … Continue reading
The quince tree is appreciating the extra light afforded by the tree felling early in the year, with a more symmetrical form and healthy blossom which I hope will not be blighted by frost as they were last year. Grown … Continue reading
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