








Three types of courgette, rose de roskoff onions, garlic and waxy Orla potatoes – chop, add bay + lemon + rosemary & lots of olive oil with a splash of water, season, mix, put lid on and simmer for about 45 minutes. Boil runner beans for 5 minutes then drain and finish with butter.
Serve with large glass of Sancerre rosé.
Oh, and put dahlia in jar on table for a smile.

These yellow mange tout peas are so easy to grow and absolutely delicious. Sown in double rows into a length of plastic guttering in the greenhouse, they were more than ready to plant out into the pigeon-proof sanctuary of the fruit cage; roots tangled below, desperate to get into the ground.




Time to clear the broad beans to make space for the winter kales that have been growing on in the greenhouse. Surprising how long it all takes, but very satisfying to go from a post-productive, weedy and dead leaf covered bean patch to a neat butterfly-proofed brassica bed.








So few grains of happiness
measured against all the dark
and still the scales balance.
Jane Hirshfield

The Old Gage tree I planted 2 years ago mysteriously started to die just as it was in the full glory of spring blossoming – an ominous harbinger, though we didn’t know it yet, of the year to come. On investigation, it turned out that the council strimmer had been a bit over-zealous and had damaged the bark just above ground level. Anyway, I have now just planted a replacement Oullins Golden Gage, and the council have kindly provided a protective guard so hopefully this one will thrive.


The brassicas are doing well, various kales, PSB and trying purple cauliflower Graffitti for the first time, along with flower sprouts and brussels sprouts. All need protection from the voracious pigeons who have shredded the red and yellow chard.





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