Growing season

Some poor deluded soul was on the radio last week saying that houses didn't need kitchens, that cooking was drudgery and the expense of a kitchen, he quoted the figure of fifty thousand, ridiculous. Well, I agree with his last point, there's no need to spend anything like that amount to get a decent kitchen. But on all other points the man was talking rubbish and possibly eating rubbish quite often as well since all his food, he told us, is, 'bought in'. More money than sense, obviously.I don't know why they gave him air time.

We are eating like kings from food harvested from the garden. The pleasures that man has no concept of - there's no food that tastes as good as a freshly picked and prepared food, it's organic, untouched by other hands and makes sense financially as well.

The carrots are a healthy crop

with seed waiting to be collected from last season's carrots.

Their flower heads are so attractive.

Parsley is seeding amongst the asparagus

and as crops are lifted they create a space for more planting

well netted against the pigeons!

The mangetout flourished in the sunshine while we were away from home and were well past picking by the time we returned so they also are being left and the seed collected once ripe to keep for next year's planting. I've sown another row in the space left by some of the lifted (and eaten!) 'Charlotte' potatoes.

The whole garden is in a state of lush chaos. There's lots that needs doing, but the temperature is pleasant, the days are long and it's the time just to enjoy the space that we are in.

Vines and clematis on the shed roof

and 'Raubritter' looking over the wall.

In the greenhouse

the 'Red Cherry' tomatoes are growing,

although still small and green.

Only 'Cinderella' is unhappy. Go to the ball? That's all she's done. The least bit of wind and rain and she refuses to open, her top petals close, the whole flower head forms a tight ball and drops off. She's a fair weather creature and a great disappointment.