fresh air friday

 I love September much in the way as I love March.

The brashness of summer is over 

and the garden gradually fades to it's mellow self.

It's also a month where I'm amazed by the sudden growth of greenery.

I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Crazy things you may have spotted?

A lupin still blooming.

A day lily very much alive.

Sweet peas.

Blue sky!

Have a super weekend whatever the weather.

xxx

veg out

Well hasn't this weather been just grand!

Thought it was about time to share my edible pursuits,

before they get eaten by me or the critters that live in my garden.

Anyone who grows veg or gardens will probably have said

'its an odd year'

I'm sure I say it every year, I'm not sure I would recognise a 

'normal year'.

After a slowww start things are picking up.

I find it remarkable that whatever plant you grow there is a specific bug/beastie that appears,

seemingly out of nowhere to destroy your crop!!

Here I have lost 3 broccoli to vine weevils, whose grubs eat the roots.

I tried my best to pick off the adults, not wanting to smother my plants with chemicals.

Fingers crossed they dont find the sprouts!

Typical that its the sunniest year for years and I am growing the silliest tomatoes ever!

They are minibell and were free seeds with Gardeners World mag.

On the upside I haven't had to deal with tying in or pinching out!

The crops are a good indicator of how sunny a summer it has been so far.

The gooseberries are huge and plentyful this year.

Also the sweetcorn is growing well.

Remember my new raised veg boxes?

They are working a treat.

The left one has mainly carrots, which have been sown fortnightly.

The right is salad leaves which have to be covered to protect them from.....

....sparrows!!

Honestly I know they said on springwatch they are in decline, well they should come to my house.

I think we probably have about 50 who live permanently in our roof.

If anyone wants to rehome some I would be grateful!

They have decimated my peas, beetroot, lettuce, clematis.....

Chirp cheep chip cheep all day long!!

My husband however loves the little blighters!
So thats something.

Whilst we are talking birds our starling pair who nest above this room have a second brood.

Thats a first....told you it was an odd year !!!!

why I love May

Today I can say I love May for the sun has shone for at least part of the day.

Spring is my favourite season.

Everything is fresh and new.

I put this box up with the hope of attracting some robins, 

but within minutes there were bluetits showing interest.

No nests as yet, but maybe next year!

I LOVE GROWING anything FROM SEED!!

These are purple/blue lupins.

If you want to have a go at growing something I suggest start with a lupin.

They germinate fast and have the cutest baby leaves.

(I have seen one lupin plant wrapped in paper in a posh flower shop priced at £12.95!!!)

These seeds cost about £2.00 and I have 15 plants, you do the math!

So far the veg patch has been slow to get going this year,

I can however see the benefits of raised beds.

The soil warms up much quicker, which is ideal when the days are so grey and chilly.

Above I have pak choi, swiss chard, and cos lettuce.

You will notice I have netting covering them, this protects the little seedlings from birds.

I seem to have vegetarian sparrows in my garden!

(actually they live in my house along with the starlings who nest right above where I am sat, 

very sweet they are too tweeting away up there)

Another new addition this year is a sturdy frame to protect strawberries from the birds 

and then later on to protect brassicas.

Kindly built by Mr Fete.

More gratuitous tulip snaps.

When they're gone they're, so enjoy them now!

Another dark beauty is this geranium phaeum samobor.

It has lovely two-toned leaves and very dark plum turned back flowers.

I love discovering new things in the garden, and this was todays!

More of the lovely camassias and tulips!

With all that fresh and newness going on outside, it only seemed right to start afresh inside!

Oh lordy! Stripping floorboards is not for the faint-hearted.

How can one room mess up the whole of ones house!!

the garden tour

Ok so as I am now spending more time outside than in I thought I had better take you on the tour.

Now I know some of you have been on said tour, so dont feel obliged, however things are ever changing and its great to see how shrubs are maturing and plants still survivng.

So here we go with the view from my kitchen window.

Try and ignore the houses in the back ground, we have some of those trees not to be mentioned that will soon disguise the less than perfect view.

We have two water butts, one you can see to the left.

Stepping out my back door we have some negrita tulips (flowering) mixed with queen of the night and some orange ones which I cannot remember the name of.

I planted 36 new tulips last year as they don't live too long in my garden.

Here is the unopened orange tulip; I have never grown orange ones before and the suspense is killing me!!

 Here is the shed.

Hello!

The climbing plant above is hydrangea petiolaris.

It will one day cover this shed, brilliant!

This is rosa Josephs coat, and is the main colour feature of the garden.

It may not look like much now, but soon it will be covered in orangey pink roses.

It wouldnt have been my choice, but it is such a good rose I have worked a vague colour scheme around it.

Mainly purples whites pinks and burgundies.. and orange.

Anyhow I have trained it against the fence using twine.

Something else inherited in this garden are an abundance of bluebells and whitebells.

At the top end we have my veg patch currently not much to show.

The chicken wire is to support peas which are just about poking through the earth.

I have decided not to grow potatoes this year to try and reduce the blight spores which seem to be hanging round, though I am still growing tomatoes.

And here they are all tucked up in their new cold frame made by 

'yours truly'

 

I call it goldilocks corner.

To the right of the veg patch we have the gravel garden, this is where the sun ends up in the evenings.

Its a great spot to relax at the end of the day under the silver birch and surrounded by birdsong.

I could go on so I shall leave you now with the view from my desk.

Another sunny day..bliss!!
.....................
I hope I have inspired you with my garden.
I have been gardening this garden for 4 years now, previous to that my garden was tiny!
See below.
I know I am very lucky to have such a lovely space and hope you can enjoy it with me through my blog.

I heart gardening!

Wow isn't amazing what a drop of sunshine can do to ones spirit and ones garden!

These are just some of seeds/plants to be sown/grown this year.

Some of you may remember my garden blog last year?

If not pop on over to get an idea of how my garden looked last year.

This year I shall just keep to the one blog, it's hard enough having a life with one let alone two!

Our garden is alive!

And completely frantic with chirping.

I have a new friend I call him/her twiddly, as she/he is most tuneful.

After such a long winter it seems all the blossom is out at once,
and smelling heavenly.
If you have room for one shrub in your garden, you can't beat an evergreen osmanthus.

The fragrance is pure spring!

  I have been busy busy in the garden again and have dirt under my fingernails to prove it.
Lots of moving plants and pruning out the deadwood.

My garden has a sunny side and a shady side, which at first I found challenging, but now I'm rather liking the shadier side more, as it retains some moisture unlike the sunny side which dries out like a rock!
Today I have rejuvinated the shady side, where there was an old ceanothus past its best.
So far I have dotted some euphorbias and aquilegias
(borrowed from other areas within the garden, but of course),
and some blue salvias which will get some sun.

And here is the great prune mountain.

Remember last weekend my husband made me a raised bed?
(now partially filled with chantenay carrots)
Well this weekend I made one!
Not bad hey?
The windows, rescued from our bedroom make great mini greenhouses.

I have sown pak choi, swiss chard and cos lettuce in mine.

I've also been sowing legumes!

These are french beans, though they do look a little maggoty dont they?

I really must get on with my giveaway items, before its another year already!
So I shall leave you with my new purchase, a pink dicentra which is great for a shady border.
I bought a white one last year, which I love and is growing well.


Anyone else having an irritating time uploading photos??!!

lets go outside

Sounds like you all had a lovely Easter.

Now that's out of the way lets concentrate our minds to bring on the spring!

I love the fluffy leaves of the lupin.

I've not really mentioned the spring word yet this year, as it generally turns wintery as soon as I do.

But I do believe now that it is here at last.

I have actually been outside this year, mainly pruning.

Don't you just love it when the fresh new leaves open up for the first time.

I love how the apple tree branches get all nobbly with nubblets.

(made up word, if you have an apple tree you will understand!)

I have once more made use of the old fence.

Actually maybe the right phrase would be 'made use of the old man'

As this Easter he made me this wonderous raised wotsit, perfect for 

me carrots. 

(said in an alan t voice)

I already have a few seedlings growing, this one is a tomato called minibell

(which was free with gardeners world mag)

I shall leave you today with these pinnies blowing in the wind....

I do hope (for those of you who are still snowed in) that spring is on its way!