The last pickings of....

...flowers from my plot, they are all over now. I have been especially pleased with them this year. I've taken a bunch or two home each visit which has definitley been worth the effort to grow them alongside the veg, not to mention the benefit to insects!

Golden Beet

This year I've been really pleased to grow some Golden Beets, I actually really like the flavour-very sweet and the colour is just amazing! Next year I'll definitely be growing more and devising ingenious ways to cook with them.

Dreaming of my new garden - trees

We have finally secured a house to live in! hooray. It has a fantastic 'blank canvas' 130ft (about 40ft wide) rear garden. This may mean I will no longer be needing the allotment, I am due to hand it over in spring next year and I was planning to apply for another when we moved. Now this garden could provide a sizeable area for a vegetable patch. Not sure what this could be called? perhaps just Whitley Road instead of Furnace Lane?

Anyway I have been very excitedly planning what to create in this new space. There are so many elements I want to include, like a work shed/office; veggie patch; childrens area; orchard/wood; beach garden (as we are about 300m from the sea) and various seating areas.

For some time I have been dreaming of trees strangely enough. I'm not sure why, but I've become mildly obsessed with ornamental trees like eucalyptus, Betula albo-sinensis septentrioalis, various japanese maples and flowering cherries. The house already has a well established conference pear and I have recently bought an Egrement Russet apple to complement my morello cherry currently in a large pot. I'm planning on a nice fig tree near the decked area as I love the slightly tropical look of the broad leaves, Ficus 'Briogiotto Nero' being my favourite variety. Nothing can beat a ripe fig with parma ham and squidgy mozarella.

I have been hunting for some birch trees in anticipation of this new garden, to act as a screen at the bottom. I had two weeping birches in large pots on either side of the aisle at our wedding in a large  barn. I'm half Finnish, so the birch as well as the pine is very reminiscent of Finland, I absolutely love the sound of the leaves in the breeze. Today I bought a pretty standard birch as I saw it half price at one of my favourite garden centres, and next to it was this beautiful Prunus Chocolate Ice, the leaves long and flame red providing the perfect compiment to the dinky birch leave. I think these two relatively close by will look lovely in the autumn with the sun shining through. The Prunus should provide pretty pink spring blossom on bronze foliage which is an added bonus.

I don't normally do this but...

...couldn't resist - Silent Sunday

Compare this

I found this pic back in my archives of the plots when they were first allocated a year and a half ago.

Compared to now, looks like they have been there longer.

September tidy

I've been continuing to try to regain some control over the plot since it went awol in July and August. I cannot believe how much grass, docks and dandelions have taken over already. This spring just passed, I was cursing myself for not having tidied up the plot the previous autumn, then in Jan/Fed the ground was solid and the clods attached to the weeds were heavy and a chore to separate. So I'm trying to be sensible and get some done now. I even had a little help!

and at the end of it all, a healthy pile of matter for the compost heap!

My Brassicas

Ok I had a go at growing these this year, as I've not really tried before. I think I know why now, they need a lot of attention to get going, lots of netting and protection from slugs and pigeons. I'm not the most diligent gardener at the best of times, obviously this year more so due to having a baby, but I feel sorry for my slightly pathetic attempt! My red drumhead cabbages are riddled with holes, from slugs or caterpillars I know not, but I'm hoping they may recover a bit in the colder weather. This one is the best one on the plot and actually has a recognisable head to it.

The red bulls blood sprouts look great on one side of the plot but very poor on the opposite bed, strange as the latter had more attention earlier on.

Actually I have one success, the white sprouting broccoli is growing great guns, strange to think such a monster came from such a small seed.

I think next time I'll be staking these to make sure they don't get blown down by any storms

Mellow fruitfulness

I couldn't resist taking some photos of my Egrement Russet apples, they looks so, well autumnal in their orangy brown jackets.

An acer my dad kept in a pot on the decking area, it's leaves are just tinged with red, soon it will bleed all over the leaf.

Some climbing Jasmine leaves, also ready for autumn

and who could talk about autumn without mentioning a blackberry, this one is poking through the fence at our back boundary in the garden, usually considered a pest, in autumn it becomes very welcome bearing fruit.

Polytunnel mystery

Ok so two weeks ago I planted  a load of cauliflower and lettuce plants, a few days ago I returned to water them, and found this....

..all completely, utterly gone.....not a trace, in either tunnel! amazing work slugs

So be my witness, I planted three more, this time exposed to the elements. Wonder what poor fate will be set upon them?

..good luck caulis, I'll hopefully see you next time.

Flexing my green fingers

I've had a very productive gardening day, making the most of this lovely late summer sun we're having. This morning I visited the garden center looking for bargains in the sales. I was particularly looking for trees to put in my new garden (of the house we haven't bought yet!!) A few were knocked down to half price, mainly ornamental trees rather than the fruit variety but I was seduced by an Egremont Russet apple tree which I ended up paying full whack for, as I had to have it. While I was there I picked up some cauliflower and winter lettuce plug plants to put in immediately. So I popped to the plot to do just that, and I was particularly keen to get the rest of my leek seedlings in too. In between Charlie's squeeks I manged to plant 12 cauliflowers, 12 lettuces and about 20 leeks. Then I moved on to tidy up my tomatoes, the Marmandes have done so much better here than at home, I'm guessing because they are planted in the ground rather in pots. If I could only keep the slugs off them though, they obviously want a sneek preview! I pulled the last of the onions to dry out before storing and eating. I then picked a punnet of raspberries before heading home.

Later in the afternoon, I pottered about at home potting up my Echinacea White Swan plants that were severely pot bound, and some Minette basil and oregano too. The onions were layed out on the wooden bench to dry while I picked some figs from mum's tree.

A very lovely green fingered day.