Todays blooms

Spring Changes

I have become a little garden obsessed over the past few months. I hit
a bit of a miserable patch back in April where I totally lost interest
in cooking. Something in my mood was turning food sour. I couldn’t cook
and I didn’t want to.  I also wasn’t sleeping well and my moods were,
well bloody awful but with the help of warm sunny days, Nytol, a bed time book and no internet activity after 9pm,  I feel so
much better.

We’ve now got an allotment and today when I visited, it was covered in the vigorous weed known at fat hen. I could not believe the density of the stuff. It had smothered my veg seedings to the point I couldn’t see what I had planted. With the help of  Rosie and Matilda, we managed to pull up most of the thatch of weed with Matilda wielding what ever garden tool she could find, she also managed to destroy the few seedings I has planned on eating. Errrrgh.

We were very lucky with getting an allotment this year. I had applied to Norwich Council in Feb only to be told the waiting list was at least a year away. I then heard of a scheme called Grow Our Own – GO2, where allotments were available – but not only that, it is a scheme where seeds, seedlings, plants, manure, tools and advice are all part of the package. We’ve had it about 6 weeks now. We had to dig up a heap of weeds and old potato plants and then raise the beds to help deter small feet from trampling our small plants. We now have a selection of  things growing, a smaller section then I had last week due to Matilda’s ‘weeding’ and the harsh frost a few nights back.

 

lacey leaves

The filigree leaves of my cabbage and cauliflowers are irritatingly pretty. This evening, I counted 12, fat, juicy caterpillars feasting happily on the luscious rain sodden plants. A few years back I grew brassicas, it took a day or two to realise where the beautiful display of cabbage white butterflies come from. I’m now wondering why I didn’t get the net curtaining out, as usual by good intentions failed me.

On a more positive and fruitful note, the broad beans are ready for picking and I’m pleased to say, pest free. True to  tradition, these will be munched with pancetta, garlic, parmigiano and plenty of fresh herbs and olive oil. The excellent food magazine Waitrose Food Illustrated has some tasty broad bean recipe suggestions worth trying.

alliums and others

My two and only alliums grown this year are nearly over – gone to seed. I knew I should have gone shopping for bulbs early in the autumn instead of leaving it to the very last minute. I was lucky to find the two I did; a big giant stemmed purple pom-pom and the beautiful, firework schubertii.

This year, in a few months if not sooner I’m going to purchase a
bulk load. I was looking online the other night for some bulb varieties
and foud a site selling 50 odd bulbs for £24 – not bad.

Alliums on mass look fabulous, they never fail to please. I’ve
realised through my first year of ‘border’ gardening that I have a lot
to learn but have learnt a bit. Next year I will buy more of the same
varities instead of lots of many different varieties. And having walked past the deeply packed groups of plants and over flowing flower beds in Waterloo Park (Norwich) today, I’ve realise that’s what I have to do.

The flower beds are stunning (apparently some of the longest herbaceous borders in the UK…ummm?) with clusters of achillea moonshine, artichokes, sage, fennel, poppies, alliums to name a few. The park also has an old bandstand and large, renovated pavilion. I found this photo of the wisteria clad pavilion terrace on flickr, it sort of sums up Waterloo Park.

where were the april showers?

How crazy is this weather? Almost no rain to speak of during April and today, yet another scorcher on July proportions. Not that I’m complaining, it’s so good to be able to spread the cluttering toys and the chatty girls to the outside once again.

I am concerned about the plants though, although they are looking fine, I’m sure that they must be getting quite thirsty. I’ve started saving my non greasy washing up water to pour on some plants in the evening although I’m told that watering plants little and often is actually more detrimental than an occasional big soak. But seeing as we’re not getting the occasional soak from rain, I’m sure the green things will appreciate some moisture even if it does have the odd piece of pasta and pea keeping it company.