Saturday 26 April 2014

Watching the grass grow

The combination of sun and rain is creating  plenty of lush new growth. Everything is changing so quickly that it would be no surprise to actually see the grass growing!
I've put out every bit of netting that I possess to protect the newly emerging seeds and the seedlings from marauding birds and cats.
First thing in the morning I walk round the veg plot to see what might have sprung up overnight.
I love it when I spy a wobbly row of something or other appearing in the soil.
Peas and beans!
The netting seems to be protecting the onions quite well. A few have been taken, but that was before I found and patched a hole in the net! But even under cloches the courgettes are struggling. Heavy rain and low overnight temperatures mean that they are only just hanging on, and they are getting a bit battered and nibbled around the edges by slugs and snails.
This morning I walked with a friend through the woods to enjoy the bluebells, one of her favourite sights.

We managed to dodge some heavy downpours and it was slippy underfoot, but the bluebells flower for such a brief period that it is worth the effort to enjoy them whilst we can.
 In the garden I have sports of the wild bluebell in white and pink.
They are tucked into corners where it doesn't matter if they threaten to become invasive.
We eat our own organic produce as much as is possible. Supplies from last year are really starting to dwindle now. For lunch I made pickled cabbage with the last of my onions and stored apples. The apples had become withered little affairs but they have been very good up until now. I have just one more red cabbage left and half a dozen squash.

I cook the veg with just a few tablespoons of cider vinegar, some brown sugar and lots of nutmeg. I think it's possible to freeze it but there has never been enough left to find out!
For dessert we had blackcurrants from the freezer 
in a very simple recipe from one of my favourite cookery books.
(click to enlarge)
The boat seat is restored and back in position
and Himself continues with running repairs,
painting sheds, clearing the gutters
etc.......
Old friends are re-appearing, this abutilon was a snippet from my parents' garden.
And now that the tree peonies that are under cover have finished flowering those that I planted outside are coming into their own.
In fact they are looking so healthy that I think I should be brave and plant them all out.

How do you fare with tulips? Each year a number of mine get eaten by the squirrels and I've never yet had a good display. Colours appear that I never planted. I seem to have the most success with white with just a few other colours surviving in a rather lonely fashion here and there.


I DID NOT BUY any bright red tulips!
But mostly plants flower, year after year, just the way that they should!



20 comments:

  1. Beautiful! Am having trouble with my things destroyed by varmits just like you. Tulips, feeling lucky that I do have some out front now, but may be not for long! All the rest elsewhere have been taken.

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    1. I think that my bulbs must get eaten in the autumn, soon after they have been planted, when the squirrels have had a good go at the walnuts and fancy a change of diet!

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  2. You have a lovely garden. The bluebells are so typical for the English woods, love to see them. You have troubles with squirrels in the garden, I have wild rabbits.....

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    1. We have a rabbit-proof fence which seems to do the trick. Every now and then there is a big problem with badgers, who make a terrible mess. I have learned not to grow sweetcorn because the minute it's ripe in come the badgers to scoff the lot, take a look around and use the garden as a latrine - not pleasant!

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  3. It is amazing to see that your garden veggies and flowers are so much more advanced than mine... I've been growing indoors since February and am now planting out some very wee starts under cloche with fingers crossed. I ought to be jealous! But have lots of parsley, rhubarb, oregano, mint to pick at the moment, so that's not bad.

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    1. It sounds good, Wildside. My things are sitting in VERY wet soil hoping for the weather to buck up. It's been pouring down all day - good job Himself cleaned out the gutters!

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  4. Your have a wonderful garden and your countryside is so green and i love the the bluebells.
    Merle ...............

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    1. Oh, Merle, the reason it is so very green is because IT NEVER STOPS RAINING!

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  5. Hi there, I came across your site from Hostess of the Humble Bungalow. What a beautiful garden! It looks very similar to what grows here in Victoria, Canada. Cheers.

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    1. Hello and welcome, Holli. ONE day I am coming to Vancouver Island, I have a childhood friend who lives there.

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  6. Just beautiful, loved the tour. take care, Maryann

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    1. I could do with a bit of your sunshine, Maryann!

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  7. Tank you for the impressions from your lovely garden. We had rain and I hope, everything is growing now better. We have ne veg.garden, but a raised bed, and it is so wonderful to see what is growing!
    Like you I have an aga cookbook, but no aga. But I can use the recipes.

    Sigrun

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    1. Our Aga is very old. We brought it with us from our previous home when we moved to this cottage.

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  8. Your garden is looking gorgeous!
    I am particularly fond of your peony blooms....
    Our radishes are up and we have eaten a few of the asparagus spears while waiting for the sun to encourage the vegetables to grow.
    Hope you get time to sit on that boat seat with a mug of tea and soak in all the garden beauty.

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    1. We have had our first small picking of asparagus also.
      'Soak' is an appropriate word for our garden as the rain continues to fall!

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  9. Your garden looks stunning! Hihi... I know that thing with the tulips too... every year at least one appears in a color that I haven't bought. And every year the most beautiful once were eaten by mice... and of course the ugly red one were left over to flower again the following year. Gosh, I just love your bluebell woods... that looks so lovely.
    Have a great start into the new week.
    Alex

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    1. Yes, it's very selective eating - all the best bulbs disappear!
      The bluebell woods are beautiful, they delight me every year for just a few short weeks.

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  10. Your garden is just incredible! Your red tulips were probably stolen from another garden by the squirrels and planted to eat later but forgotten. :o) We have similar woods full of bluebells here, too. So pretty!

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  11. Beautiful subjects, great composition.

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