Monday

Good morning, everyone

Yesterday was a most energetic day.  It started with swimming although I just did half an hour as I knew I had other stuff planned as well.  I spent the morning weeding and tidying up the small front strip (and spraying the weeds that are coming up in the paving and concrete and which just keep coming up again and again and again*) before Beth turned up.  I also see that there's a gap that needs filling so I shall have to look up 'shade loving perennials' and see what's available.  Maybe lavender, although that does grow woody after a while.  Any ideas for me?  Colour isn't an issue at the front.

Then Beth turned up and after lunch we made tracks to the allotment where she mowed while I weeded and then we did some pruning back and lots of watering.  It's a bit behind but is looking really good and we should be harvesting stuff in a month or maybe earlier.
Then we sat in the shade and planned next year's rotation while we drank some water - very refreshing it was too.
Maybe, one of these days, I will remember to take my camera!

Back home, I did a bit in the back garden too. The runner beans are now flowering and the tomatoes are flourishing.  I'm waiting for the blueberries to start ripening and there's a few raspberries and tayberries this year too which promises well for future years: fruit is very much a longer term undertaking, I find.  The herbs are flourishing, as are the flowers.  All very satisfying and a big change from a month or so ago when the bulbs were dying back and making everything look so messy.


Here's a few photos

New flowers on the clematis I planted last month and there are other buds too so I reckon I haven't managed to kill it - yet!

Runner beans looking pretty healthy after a little dose of greenfly.

More herbs than I can use - there's oregano, chives, sage, thyme, mint (three kinds) and rosemary (out of picture) plus bay in a pot (also out of picture).  I do make use of them all and really ought to freeze some for the winter months.

Some of the unripe blueberries, under netting so they should be safe from the birds.

Some of the tomatoes.

The tayberry that refused to die with some fruit this year and loads of growth that will fruit next year.

The delphinium will be a picture soon

And the pinks are the best they have ever been.

I love this time in the garden when all is growing and developing and nothing (hopefully) is dying!

Today I am off down the allotment this morning again.  Watering, of course, strimming round the beds and some pruning plus any weeding that needs doing although it's not too bad right now, much easier to keep under control.  This year we seem to be keeping on top of the weeding better which is satisfying.  After lunch I am helping out in FS as usual and then there's some tuition.  It should be a lovely day.

*I'm not majorly in favour of spraying weeds ever since I managed to kill off a beautiful lupin by muddling weed killer with bug spray but it has a time and a place and yesterday, front garden, was a time and place!  I may give them another spray today, if it remains as still as it is now, but to be on the safe side.