Eating well

June is when things get really tasty. We are eating the first of this season's potatoes, good pickings of mangetout and peas and the last stems of asparagus. I'm especially pleased with the peas, 'Walter's Show' variety which I got from the local seed swap event this spring. It's not a variety that I've ever heard of, possibly not one available in the shops, so I shall let a few pods develop to keep for planting next year. My father's name was Walter so I am especially pleased that these peas are so good!

I've planted another row of peas to follow. They are protected with netting to keep away the pigeons. In the fruit cage its a great year for strawberries and raspberries. We are gorging! So is a young thrush and a sparrow. How they get into the cage is a mystery. I open the door and they both fly straight out, they certainly know their way about. They are in the cage nearly every day. In spring I spread two sections of the veg plot with our homemade compost and it has now produced a fine show of poppies! They are far too nice to root out. I've put squash seedlings in amongst them and shall remove the poppies once they have flowered.

There is no sign of the wild flower seed that I planted to thread through the grass that we've left to grow. Nevertheless, I'm pleased with this space, even when the grasses are wet and soak you as you pass!

But there is one small, pink flower. Is it an orchid?