Monday 9 June 2014

Pigging out

Family were coming home for the weekend and Saturday morning started cold, wet and windy. Oh, dear. At least we have a small conservatory/greenhouse leading off the house where we can shelter from the weather. We've just repainted an old Lloyd loom chair. The previous colour was a blue to match the flowers on the cushion cover - move over Vanilla, so that we can see!
The colour was too strong and I never liked it. Flwrjane is wondering what colour to paint her outdoor furniture. I'm much happier with our latest choice, which is a soft pale green that sits happily with the foliage. I've suggested something similar for Jane but she doesn't live in rainy old England so can get away with plenty of zing.
Can you see how atrocious the weather looks outside!
But by lunchtime the sun had come out. We opened all the doors and windows in the greenhouse, donned sun hats, boiled in the unaccustomed heat and finally took ourselves outside to sprawl in the garden. I hadn't got round to putting out the summer chairs and tables in the front garden.

In the evening we went to 'The Pig' for dinner. We arrived early so that we could have a good look around the walled vegetable garden. Oh, bliss! All the crops are far in advance of mine. This had been a place of sad neglect before the present owners took over. There are two full-time gardeners for this area of the garden and it is immaculate with its rows of neatly-labeled plants.



I like the way that the peas have been staked and I'm going to copy this in my own garden next season.

Then we went inside for the serious business of eating our meal. It was interesting to look on our plates and see what had come from the garden.
Sunday was another lovely day, given over to yet more chatting and eating and lolling in the garden. We ate fish with the first picking of our new season potatoes. Sadly the rest of our vegetables were shop bought as I've yet to learn continuity in growing things.
Not all the fish was fish!
It's now minus a tail and fins.
Any excuse to eat chocolate!




22 comments:

  1. That certainly is an impressive garden. It is nice to see where one's meal is coming from and know that the veggies are just picked.

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    1. They have a 'twenty mile menu' and the meat, fish, cheese and so forth is all sourced within that radius. A map on the back of the menu shows their suppliers. Very commendable - and tasty!

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  2. My goodness your garden is gorgeous and so vast. I think I would be proud to have such a wonderful veggie patch.,

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    1. NOT MY GARDEN, Hostess - you are looking at the hotel garden! Mine is small, has one inept but enthusiastic gardener (me) and is not well-organised at all. A post to come which demonstrates this.

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  3. I agree with hostess of the humble bungalow above! Mine is an edible wildscape running rampant with wildflowers, weeds and all -- but that's who I am so must learn to accept that fact. (LOL! Trying!)

    You say: "I like the way that the peas have been staked and I'm going to copy this in my own garden next season."

    Aha! Straight from colonial Williamsburg...(a new library book on old garden methods I'm currently reading)

    Yes, if only my wild (& frugal) methods were this attractive! Something to aspire to anyway! Future plans. Their good.

    Loved seeing/hearing about your outing. Glad the sun decided to shine for you some. It does make a difference, doesn't it?!

    P.S. After disposing of it all (my blog mess you saw & politely commented at), I started posting again in new spot. Felt I just had to clean house and get organized some. My cluttered brain was exposing itself too much at the old spot. Now I'm attempting to be committed to this one. So far so good.

    Have a good day there! Pray you have more sunshine!

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    1. We are enjoying WONDERFUL sunshine, thank you!

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  4. Your garden looks stunning and I really do envy you for the conservatory :o). Wow and the Vegi garden from "The Pig" is gorgeous, but this is no wonder having two gardeners. I have to buy all the vegetables because I haven't got enough sun in my garden for a vegi patch.
    Have a lovely week.
    Alex

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    1. Given our unreliable climate I'm inclined to think of the greenhouse/conservatory as a necessity. At least, that's my excuse!

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  5. That soft green is one of my favorite colors. How nice. A restaurant with its own garden. Oh no. Do they serve pig?

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    1. 'fraid so, Connie. You can have 'piggy bits' for starters. (No, I didn't) But how does this sound?
      'Rosary goat's cheese and Heirloom tomato salad, foraged salsa verde and cured Bresaola'
      A little bit of meat there, but not too much!

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  6. Your garden is beautiful! I love the pastel color of the chair. I can never settle on whether to go bold or muted. I hope all is going well with you. I am hoping to get back to my routine.

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    1. Get back to your routine!!!!! You've become a grandmother - new routine ahoy. You have bragging rights and I'll be following with interest.

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  7. How smart it is for a restaurant to have their own garden. You can't get much fresher than that.

    That's my favorite kind of fish, you know!

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    1. So says Himself. That was a big fish and it's almost gone!

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  8. Your own garden looks very nice -- and I especially love the cute cat pic: They always know the best spots to lounge. The restaurant garden is very impressive, but it makes me tired just imagining the work involved in such an enterprise. Thanks for the post! -Beth

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    1. The cute cat belongs next door, but try telling her that!
      I love gardening, it doesn't feel like work, and unlike the restaurant gardeners I'm not even getting paid for it! Housework is something else - that does make me tired. (Or it would do if I did much of it.)

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  9. You have an amazing garden! Your gardeners did a swell job and you must be very proud of them. The area is vast, but doesn't look cluttered at all. It's really well organized. I wish I could pick veggies fresh from my garden and make a meal out of it as well. Anyway, I would love to see more of your garden. Please keep us posted! :)

    Al Perreault @ GreenCollar

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    1. Can't claim that organised garden as my own, Al, it belongs to the restaurant where we ate. I'm about to post my own patch. You'll notice the difference!

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  10. Well hello there! I noticed recently you've been following my blog "No Stuff in Heaven" (Thank you again for the idea) and wanted you to know I finally did another post on the topic. http://nostuffinheaven.blogspot.com/2014/06/thing-number-six.html

    But more importantly it got me over here to check out your garden (love the color on your loom chair) and well as the gardens at The Pig. More restaurants here in the US, especially the Chicago area are growing their own veggies for their menus and the food served is of course amazing. Take care !

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    1. I think Britain follows where America leads in a great many things, restaurant thinking included.
      I'm following your 'stuff' with interest and pleasure, I'm sure it's going to be a fascinating journey.

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  11. Sorry for all my babble above!

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    1. I love your 'babble' Wildside, it makes me feel as though I know you and you're sitting the other side of my kitchen table having a comfortable chat. Do you know the expression, 'having a bit of a blether'? I think blogging is rather good for a bit of blethering.

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