Friday 8 July 2011

fresh air friday

 Well looks like we missed the whole of June 
in the garden!
Is it July or April?
I'm not sure today..
 ..here's a quick snap out the back door
before the next blustery downpour.
I've been doing a lot of pondering in the garden this week.
It's good to get away,
find inspiration 
(mainly from the garden in France)
and take a fresh approach on the garden.
You can see in the above photo a change I'm trialling.
I'm thinking of making a pathway on the right,
and digging up some of the grass.
 Love/hate.
When I'm in the garden I rarely relax!
I'm constantly moving plants in my mind.
The above tree is a catalpa,
better known as an Indian bean tree.
On one hand I hate it,
in certain lights it looks horribly yellow/dead,
but then there are the days when it really shines.
I had decided in spring that it was for the chop,
but now it's a keeper!!
 Throughout the year there are
pockets of the garden that look 
especially good.
I'm loving this area next to the bean tree.
 It really shows off my gardening style,
and what I like.
Wild types, splashes of colour and subtle romance.
 I've noticed that I have a lot of pointy perennials,
so many in fact that I cannot remember their names,
which is not like me at all!
I know the purple is a salvia of sorts.
 The pink flower is very cottage garden,
lychnis coronaria,
that I grew from seed last year.
It's a biennial, but I've heard its a prolific self seeder!
 Just a quick peek at the edibles.
I have a 2/3 year old grape vine
(cutting from Ma and Pa)
which has many bunches of grapes!!!
I've never had my own grapes before,
and by the sounds of it there might be a fight between 
me and the blackbird!
Here are my dwarf french beans,
with their sparrow proofing cage.
The veg patch 
including marigolds!
So far we've eaten lettuce, carrots and strawberries.
I've also had a bumper crop of gooseberries,
which I've turned into jarred goodness
(to follow)
Looks like a good year for fruit,
the raspberries are huge and plentiful.
I told you a while back that I'd reduced the veg plot this year.
The reason?
I'm getting an allotment!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brand new allotments are being developed for our village and I have one!
Actually I'm just going for a half jobby,
mainly to grow potatoes en masse.
So my veg patch will be know more..
..but don't worry I have plans!!!!

ps.
Fresh air is very much needed today.
I'm painting the woodwork downstairs
and oiling the kitchen worktops.
Is there any wonder why last night I dreamt 
It was okay to walk down the road with no top on!!!

17 comments:

Maxabella said...

Your garden is swoon-worthy, Clare. I try to grow pretty cottage flowers in my patch, but the possums and bandicoots aren't having a bar of it! x

::The Beetle Shack:: said...

Hey lady, thanks for hitting me back! Na im an Aussie, living near Sydney... but hugh is SO lovable! The beetle shack? thats what my friends at art school used to call me... it rhymes with my last name... but my husband used to get 'bum crack, ball sack, girl crack and an assortment of other names when he was at school!!

Nice to find an international bloggie friend! :)

xo em

Pippin Lane said...

Lovely flowers, and amazing grapes on the vine!!! Who needs a french climate!!!
nattie x

Pomona said...

What a lovely garden - just the sort of plants I love!

Pomona x

greenthumb said...

What a lovely garden you have, I love all the flowers and the veggies. Good luck.

Mary said...

Wonderful garden! Good thing that was only a dream! Yikes!

Jessica said...

can't wait to see what you've done with the berries.. btw, I tried to piece some 2" diamonds last night, those things are HUGE!

greenrabbitdesigns said...

Those grapes look great! I wonder if your blackbird friend is the same one who has been eating my raspberries!
Those fumes must be good!!!! ;)
Vivienne x

Sarah said...

I think mum got an allotment too - she was quite excited about the prospect :)

Love your garden photos as usual, very jealous.

If you & the old man fancy a jolly down to Brighton do let us know, would be lovely to see you. x

Helen said...

Love your veg patch and soooooh productive, you will never go hungry with all those beans!! Well done you !!
Love Helen xx

Diane said...

I have a few of the same plants crammed into my tiny garden. (no grapes here though!!) Yours looks so lovely. Ive been planning changes for my garden too now that the kids no longer play in it. xxxx

Lisa said...

The allotment news is very exciting!
Hope you are fully dressed when we come to visit!
Your garden looks as beautiful as ever.
Lisa x

millefeuilles said...

Thank you for the guided tour of your lovely garden. I too feel now as if I've had a few lungfuls of fresh air.

Such exciting news about your allotment! When do you start on that? What a coincidence I was waxing lyrical (well sort of) about allotments yesterday evening...

Bonne journée,

Stephanie

Nicky said...

Your produce looks good and the flowers lovely - just make sure the dream remains a dream - eek! too cold in dear old blighty for that!

Tea with Prudence said...

Hi Clare,

I think, go for the path, it will add to the appeal of the garden.

Great work on getting the allotment. Growing tatties, eh?

I hope you grow Dutch Creams, they are the favs in this house. They make beautiful mash.

Cheers
Fi

Bengts fotoblogg said...

I love lychnis coronaria they are very lovely.

Unknown said...

Lovely garden - we've had a weekend of torrential rain!

With love Anita
Bath Bomb Creations