Despite our late start in the allotment this year we are seeing a harvest at last. I planted out my poly tunnel potted strawberry plants as Geneviève said potted strawberries are rubbish and she knows best, so they are out and doing well. I have gone through this bed twice already to cut the runners and kill the weeds so a good crop is expected in June. Mike promises to build a netted cage to deter the birds without trapping and killing them and now the beds are raised the hedgehogs will not get caught in the nets either. In the distance you can see the Canadian pumpkins showing off, we now have 3 huge fruit and are planning to be winners in the contest at the end of October
I never thought we would, but we are now harvesting the sweet corn. We pick them and put them straight in for the boil and the taste is exquisite, covered in lashings of butter it is the best appetitive on earth. We have taken the habit of eating sweet corn everyday whilst in season and then don’t ever buy them from the shops so at this time of year it is a real treat, because fresh off the cob is quite amazing.
In July we
cut this hedge thinking we had totally condemned it to the compost heap but
just look at what has happened in two
months…….
It is tough
to grub out a hedge with so much spirit and determination so we may just leave
it there and try to incorporate it in the build of the camper park. We have
bought a second-hand electric hedge trimmer as it is lighter and quicker to use
and I can get a grip on it as well so a hedge like this could be kept in
control, we hope…….
We got
given this little bug house for our birthdays last year and I popped it on the
window ledge of the barn and noticed that we have occupancy this year and we
are thrilled. I will leave it there so that the message will get passed on for
full occupancy in 2016
This is the
apple tree that our grandchildren visiting from Canada in 2013 went up to,
picked the apples and just ate them on the spot. We were so excited that they thought
it was OK and good fun and every time I go to the tree I think of them. This
year we have a bumper crop and we are eating them and cooking with them and drying
them to try and use the whole crop. The bramley trees are also abundant and I
am making apple pies for the freezer for those dark winter days when apple pie
and custard puts the puts the world to rights.
We have
started the Gate Garden extension and this is where the two trolley bay
shelters will sit looking out across the garden. It is a great view from here
and we don’t spend anything like the time we should just looking, and I hope we
will, once this is complete. We measured and re-measured and measured again to
get the railway sleepers into place and that is no mean feat, as they are
extraordinarily heavy but as always, Mike applies his appliance of science to
make it as easy as possible. We are now committing ourselves to yet another
lorry load of gravel. Looking at the accounts it seems that we have had a 14
ton delivery every year since starting the gardens of Brevands, not including
the trailer loads and big bags delivered at odd times as well. Gardeners World
do not tell you just how much hard landscaping there is to consider in a garden
design and its development. We now go straight to the gravel pit and have an
opinion on what is good at one and not price viable from another, and all in
French. Today we go with a handful of gravel to match and a quaking cheque book
to do it all over again……but I must say that I just love laying gravel, it is
so complete and instant and as long as we have done our homework, projects like
this are quick and easy to complete
And finally,
the dehydrator is humming away nicely giving us fruit and veg we can store and
it is really
quite wonderful and very autumn squiralish……
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