In And Out Of The Garden

Hello?!

I'm still here. It has been a while since my last post but I thought it was time for me to have a bit of a ramble. I have some good things, hopefully you agree, to share. (Apologies to those who follow me on Twitter who may have seen some of my ramblings there.)

Of course let us start in the garden. (I'm doing the wordy bit first then will add the photos so if it looks a bit skew apologies but just want to get something down!)

Right, the veg patches are coming on well plus we've have had some good things to eat. These are the views from each end of the growing area a few days ago I think. I'm sure you can see the potatoes in the middle of the main patch; very pleased with these after total failure with maincrop last year.

The onions have been taken up and,along with the shallots and you can see they are now in the cellar drying out and will be ready to store very soon. I did see Darren Lakin, I think, on Twitter talking of pickling shallots for Christmas; I'd would be interested in trying that.



Other yummy treats we have had from the garden have been the early spuds, courgettes, cabbage, dwarf peas and I can't forget about the sweet peas (obvs not for eating).



However, one of THE most exciting things in the garden is this. People say they are very hard to grow and I have to say I have taken super good care of them and look -  a cauli!!!!!

And I have 4 of them I think!

Other seemingly successful edibles this year are cabbages,

garlic is now drying in the poly house due to the rain,not a massive harvest but enough for our needs,

and we are picking red and green lettuce bowl daily - this is my BEST year yet and proves I should not really bother trying to grow it in the poly house, much better result outside.

Also outside I have celery for the first time; these are looking healthy as are the other two plants in the bed outside the poly house. Growing this for Jon.

I haven't taken up any carrots yet; they've not been the most successful of edibles in the past and not all have taken this year but will take a look at them soon.

There are lots of flowers on my dwarf beans but nothing else yet. I did well with a smaller number of plants last year so I really hope to have a good yield this year.

Ah finally the PSB. Was very grateful to be given these plants, along with the celery.

Into the poly house now and the two Marketmore cucumber plants at the back are just flowering and the Butterbush squash is doing well, too. 

I have some seeds which have germinated, on the left are some more cucumber which I'm going to chance my arm with and plant out shortly where the onions were. Top left are cabbages and Kale at the bottom, again to see what they do outside over the next couple of months.

My basil posts continue to thrive. I've given some away and put one in the kitchen but I just like taking a leaf off when I pop into the poly tunnel, especially from the purple one which is delicious.

Tomatoes have, again, not been good for me this year. But, I have two fairly healthy plants - don't ask me what variety they are!

Lastly I have been given three red currant bushes and a goji berry one. I have them in the poly house as there is no way for me to net them; hope they survive.

Outside my wild flower chimney outside is proving very pretty. 

I've been working hard on the flowers outside the Airbnb rooms and have taken new photos to put on the listing details. The hanging baskets have wowed me and the planters are now full to the brim outside the first two rooms.

I'm going to have a brew now and then turn round the room from guests who left earlier this morning. My bookings have gone crazy; so good, so very busy for the next three weeks at least and it isn't even August yet!

Right, I think that is enough of a ramble for the day. Apologies again for those on Twitter who may have seen some of my progress.

Bye for now. 

Lou.xx

Flowers That Bloom In The Spring Tra La!

Hi, well that is a bit of a stretch regarding this post but never mind - can't beat a bit of G & S.
On such a dreary day where the rain is just lashing down I thought it might be nice to have a bit of colour so here goes.

I don't generally grow a lot of flowers in my garden, just the usual Spring bulbs and a wild flower mix in my old chimney pot outside the poly house which I actually love.

I grew sunflowers the last 2 years and I have some seedlings coming on as we speak. I can see they from my top kitchen window against my poly house which I love.

This year I'm growing Pacino variety and they have come thus far sitting in the conservatory.

This year I have bought some Nigella Persian Jewels seeds. I really like the colour mix.

I really need to find a proper place to put them. Our garden is not wild as such but not manicured by any stretch so I think I need to make a decision, and maybe a bed for them! 

The snowdrops have almost died off so, after being reminded by Monty on Friday night as he did last year, now is a great time to divide and re-plant some in other parts of the garden. I did that last year but think I'll move a few more this year.

Well, I hope this post have brightened your day a little, it has mine.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Autumn Planting, Sowing and Growing.

Good morning.

This is just a little update on what is going on in the garden right now; I am so loving this bright, and at times chilly, Autumnal weather. Even though it all looks a little thin on the ground I still love wandering around looking at things, normally reminding myself of jobs that need doing!

This was taken yesterday.

I've been busy planting out the garlic, onions and shallots this last week.

I have prepped one end of the main bed for the onions, used the raised bed at the back of the poly house for the shallots and one of the six tyres for the garlic.

The garlic is variety Provence White.

I've potted on the strawberry runners so have eight plants now I think sitting under the bench in the greenhouse. All looking quite healthy and I also put a couple to sell out front.

Over the last couple of days I took a look at my second compost bin. I haven't had anything out of this in possibly a year or so? It looked in such great condition and I've used this underneath the polythene covering as part of garden prep on the main patch until Spring. 

This was taken earlier this morning and today is just gorgeous, another chilly, bright day.

As well as the newly planted onion sets I still have some carrots in the small patch and spinach beet, dwarf green beans, leeks and swede in the main patch. I'll cover over the remainder of the space as and when it becomes empty but I'm getting there.

In the greenhouse I still have one sweet potato plant and the beetroot; not sure when the latter will be big enough to harvest but plan on pickling it and will not grow any next year.

I've also sown a little kale in the poly house raised bed just for me. It isn't taking up any necessary space and will hopefully grow well. Does anybody else grow kale undercover over the Winter?

I've been thinking of sowing a small wild flower area, perhaps near The Snug, but need to look at whether its best to sow seeds direct or to over Winter some and plant out in the Spring. Anyone have any experience of this? I think it would be better to have a dedicated bed to avoid my lovely husband mowing over them!!

In other news the boys break up for a week on both Thursday and Friday due to the youngest's school having an inset day. They're going to spend a few days with The Gramps from the Saturday so hope my back is feeling better by then as I hope to do some jobs outside. Struggling with a bit of a twinge I don't feel like aggravating just now, but sooo missing not being outside. Jon and I hope to go our for a meal one night, too; we don't often eat out alone so it is nice to do so some times.

We have been really busy on weekends with the Airbnb room recently even though we are into the later months. Jon needs to do a little maintenance here and there so hopefully we can get that done in the next week or so before our next booking at the beginning of November.

Right, I think that is me for now. Not too much going on but hope you are still enjoying my ramblings.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

This And That Really...

Hi. 

A couple of things going on these last few days. I had a box of cranberries I bought in December still in the freezer so thought it would just about make a jar of sauce to add to the cellar store room shelves. I had everything I needed luckily, apart from port so I use a glug of cooking red instead.

It just made a good far full plus a little extra to eat up.....

Outside I grabbed my secateurs and FINALLY pruned the raspberry canes and the blackcurrant bush. To be honest not all the raspberry canes are looking super healthy but we'll see what happens....

This is the blackcurrant, only have the one;

I think it looks much better now the dead parts have gone...

and it has some lovely new shoots on it, too.

The sheep have really enjoyed being out in the garden but don't get too close to the chicken enclosure!

I'm enjoying watching Gardeners' World again, normally on catch up at lunch time. Love The Don's "Jobs For The Weekend" spot toward the end of the show as it inspires me to get out and do something! I've sorted the seeds out that I hope to sow by the beginning of next week; these are tomatoes, sweet peas and some wild flowers - failed miserably with the last items last year so giving it another go to add a bit of colour to the garden. The seeds will go in the conservatory so I'm pleased the lambs are outside apart from when we feed them as there is no chance of damage to them, or the spuds that are in there chitting, now they are both quite bit; I think they should be going into our neighbour's field full time at the weekend but we'll still bottle feed them for a couple of weeks more.

I also have the rhubarb crown I acquired from my neighbour who works at the local nursery; I think I've decided on the spot where to put it and this will require some clearing, de-stoning and digging; it is close to the spot where my wild garlic grew last year. (That is a bone of contention, though, as we had some clearing done in that area and I cannot see it coming up just get but hope it survives.)The crown is only just showing above the top of the soil so is this too early to cover over to force? - never grown it before. Jon's gran used to have rhubarb growing out of her compost heap so I get the idea they are not always too fussy about where you site them! If you saw my post about Kim Stoddart you will understand that I am trying new things and being a bit rogue in the garden. 

The days here have been a bit nippy but dry which is good, for now, but the next week is forecast to be wet with the chance of sleet and light snow showers over the Easter. I do hope it is not too heavy as we have guests in the Airbnb room for three days over that weekend.

Ok, that is a nice little ramble for a Thursday morning. One more brew and then I'll get on with something.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Bank Holiday Bonanza!

Hello. Hope everyone had a lovely Easter weekend.

We did and we were also able to get a lot of things done in the garden along with having some guests in our Airbnb room.

On Friday the boys were helping Jon get rid of the bamboo roots we had been keeping in the far left corner of the garden. Now was the time to get them down to the field to be used there as a barrier and to make good the land they had been sitting on. Get ready for some before and after photos.

This is how they had been for what seems ages, on the left of the photo..

 

there are the boys helping Jon make mincemeat of it - axes, saws and chainsaw in hands...

and finally how it looked today when Jon had cleared the last of it and raked it all over. Fab!

This is a really important thing in the garden as the bamboo has been a real labour to get rid of and make the ground usable. There will be some new fencing at some point but for now we are super pleased with the result. I may put some roses in this spot, too, not sure yet.

I made a start on the rabbit proofing as the little blighters had been nibbling my climbing peas.

I also had to top and tail the room as we had guests booked for Friday evening arrival.

On Saturday we gave the boys a day off as they had been very helpful, Jon continued with the bamboo of course. 

I got some good jobs done in the Poly House and outside. I planted out some of the broccoli and did some more rabbit proofing. This was finished by Sunday with some help from Jon and it now runs the length of the picket fence and they really should not be able to get in anywhere now.

I also sowed the cucumbers, again; do hope they take this time. Between wanting to be in the garden I had to get the room ready again as we had Saturday evening arrivals! We decided to take a drive out as the weather was sunny if a little windy. We went to Borth and had a walk on the beach followed by ice cream and cake.

On Sunday morning we were expecting Jon's dad and his wife as they were staying over and then taking to boys to theirs the next day for a few days away. I managed to get two rows of the beetroot planted out and weeded a second spot for wild flowers near the new veg patch. 

I also had to top and tail the room, again, for the in-laws and they arrived after lunch then we had a lovely day and evening with some yummy roast pork.

This morning the boys had left with the Gramps by about 10.30am so Jon and I headed outside. We did some work then went to Aber to buy more compost - hopefully the last lot - and a couple of other things and also had some lunch and a walk along the sea front before coming back and getting stuck back into a few more jobs.

I managed to scatter the second lot of wild flowers, planted up three pots of freesias,

and the sweet peas to go at the front door.

I re-sowed the pepper bonetas, as the first lot did not take at all, sowed some more beetroot and beef tomatoes (a variety called Marmande). I potted on the gherkins and the Cuor di Bue tomatoes and hoed the main veg patch.

The raised bed in the Poly House is now full and ready for planting.

Jon made this chair for me last week so I can sit and admire all my hard work in the garden.

When we got back from Aber I did my Poly House bits and pieces whilst Jon made a start on the little verandas that will be in front of the rooms. There will be steps up to them with room for a table and chairs. They will just extend the space for each of the rooms.

I'm really pleased we got so much done. I still have a list of things to be done by the end of the month including last lot of spuds to be planted out.But, with Jon going back to work tomorrow and the boys away I am going to try and find a little me time. I am working my way along my craft bench in the cellar cleaning and tidying it up, a lot! I've made a good start and really want to finish that and I may do some baking to put in the freezer, too.

We'll see what I can manage.

Look forward to reading what everybody has been getting up to over the weekend.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Excited About The Coming Months!

Yes! Sowing and growing is here finally! As last year I only started sowing seeds in April, very late to the party, I am super excited about getting things started for the coming seasons. I just about have all the seeds I need after finding some climbing bean ones at the weekend. I also picked up some sprouting seeds which I have never eaten before let alone grown so we'll see how we get along with those. I couldn't resist the Mixed Field Flowers as I just want to throw them in the garden somewhere with gay abandon and hope for the best; pennies if they don't work. I'm not too bothered about having that many flowers in the garden but really like the idea of the randomness of wild flowers. I still cannot find any mild, sweet chilli seeds; we don't want to grow hot ones and I really want to make sweet chilli sauce as Harry especially likes it.

 

I also recently picked up some Poppy, Cornflower and Marigold seeds. I have plans for the poppies but not sure about the others; I think Marigolds can be planted as a deterrent to something but will have to check what?

In readiness I have made myself a little dibber with a lovely smooth piece of driftwood we found on the beach in Aber. One side is in inches...

and the other in centimetres.

We celebrated Alfie's birthday at the weekend and amongst his presents were there fab 3d goggles from a very good friend of ours.

On Sunday I decided to take up some of the leeks I have been growing... Well, they look healthy even though they are quite small, baby leeks I think I'll call them!

I did put them in late last year so that is probably why they are small; starting earlier this year! Made a big pot of veg soup for lunch on Saturday and the boys thought it was lovely. Harry was not so impressed when I told him I would be growing everything that was in it - sweet spuds, leeks, onions, carrots, courgettes, peppers - as he always says he doesn't like leeks or courgettes!

Ok, needs must and I must get some baking done and there is a small pile of ironing to deal with. It didn't seem so cold first thing but the rain looks as though it may be on its way and it does feel a little cooler just now. The Rayburn is lit so i think the wood burner will be roaring after lunchtime.

Looking forward to seeing what everybody has been up to over the weekend and plan for the coming days.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx