Garden 2012 no18.

Garden 2012 no 18

Oh my poor garden. Hospital says I can now ‘resume normal activities’ (while taking care) and the eye is healing nicely. Therefore; this weekend is going to be a gardening weekend. I’m still getting fresh spinach leaves every couple of days and they are good either steamed as part of a hot meal or fresh as part of a salad.

 My lettuce is almost gone, I’ve another two or three and then that’s it. I am still picking spinach leaves, the last of the nasturtium leaves and the last of the spring onions to make up a bowl of salad every couple of days and I have the last of the shallots drying out ready to be spiced and pickled.
I’m a bit upset about the lavender and the tansy. I usually make up bowls of potpourri for the house with these. Unfortunately this year they flowered and died of in the couple of weeks I’ve been unable to get out there. I’m quite cross with myself for leaving them, they were ready to be cut a few days before I went into hospital but I decided to leave them until that weekend. Now I wish I had harvested them when I had the chance. But at least these will flower again next year and there is no real harm done. The more lasting damage is likely to be around the edge of the garden in amongst the wild flowers and hedgerow. I’ve always been very careful about removing deep rooting invasive weeds as they appeared. Particularly the thistles, dandelions, and those big tall dock leaves, they all have roots that quickly go deep and are a real problem to get out. I’ve taken a walk around the edge of the garden and there they all are, happily growing, spreading and depriving my plants of space and nutrition. This weekend it will be a war on those weeds. Its not even that I have any particular grudge against these plants, they are all part of the natural habitat and, in their own way are quite attractive, its just that left unchecked the garden would be full of these and little else. 

Another regret is the way my herb collection has gone to seed and is past its best for harvesting. But I still have quite a lot of frozen herbs collected last year and if I cut the herbs back now they should all grow again next year and I’ll be able to collect them then. I bought Mace for the first time this year and didn't even get to save a little. It smelt wondefull, harvesting my first Mace will be something to look forward to next year.

The dainty little purple flower growing in the midst of chaos is…….actually I don’t know what it is. I think it was part of the mixed wild flower seeds I sprinkled there. As you can see.....the wind was getting up and the little flowers were waving wildly in the wind.

This yellow flower is another attractive but unknown addition to the garden. It has grown tall and flowered in the couple of weeks I’ve been away from the garden, and now I’m busy looking up pictures of yellow flowers and trying to identify it. 

This is something I am pleased with. I brought back a whole load of Mullen seeds from my last visit to my sister and this is where I sprinkled them. At this point I’m not sure if these new plants are self seeded Digitalis (foxglove) or, if some of the Mullen seeds have started to grow.  To my non-expert eye, Mullen and Foxglove look too similar to decide, but which ever it is, I’m happy with it.

June 28 2011, Garden no 10

Garden 2011 no10

At last the hot humid and wet weather has gone and we have lovely warm sunshine. It’s not forecasted to last long so guess I better make the most of it while I can. Think I understand why the rainforest is so lush………we have had what seems like mini rainforest conditions here in Scotland and the effect on the garden is incredible. Every thing is fresh and green and blooming. My herbs are really thriving; I planted a lot of new ones earlier this year. Some herbs I started indoors and some I sowed from seed into the containers in the garden. I’ve almost lost track of what I have in the garden but I h've started to harvest them more this year. I try to take a few leaves from all the plants as often as I can. This year I’m freezing my herbs in little tubs. It’s like using fresh herbs and now that I’m used to doing it, I prefer this method to drying them. In my freezer I have rosemary, thyme, coriander, basil, oregano, dill, chives, lemon balm, mint, chocolate mint, peppermint, lovage, parsley and marjoram. I’m also harvesting the lavender as it blooms.
My one potato barrel is doing well, I wish I had planted more potatoes because the little new potatoes taste wonderful, so much better than shop bought ones. I’ve thought about harvesting what I have and then re seeding the potato barrel to get  at least two crops. I have onions and garlic in containers and from what I see, they are all coming on ok.  And at last my new vegetable plot, which is in the middle of what was my lawn, is ready to use. I know it’s very late in the season to plant root veg but this vegetable garden has taken me so long to do. The weather has held things up and the problems with the fence made it difficult to get on with other things in the garden. Anyway, this evening I planted two small rows of carrots, two rows of beetroot and two rows of parsnip. Maybe I’ll get a late harvest from them or maybe I could overwinter them and dig them in the spring. What ever happens, its good practice for next year, I can start planting in spring. Despite the high winds and the chaos building a fence I am getting a little fruit. The white currants are ready for picking and the gooseberries are ripening on the bush.
I think its going to be a very poor harvest, I’ll be lucky to get enough to make one pot of jam, but considering the rain/ wind/ frost  damage I’m surprised the fruit canes survived at all and with luck, they will be bigger and stronger next year and the harvest will be better. Even with out the awful conditions they are all young and not fully mature.When I look at my garden from the pavement I can’t help thinking other people must think it’s a very odd front garden. Most people have flower beds and neat lawns at the front of their house, my garden looks more like an allotment or some sort of urban farm. That’s because the only private garden I have is this little bit at the front, the land at the back is all communal garden, shared with neighbours. The fence still isn’t finished. More cement is needed in the post holes of the panel’s already in situ and there is one final panel to go in at the very end of the garden.

My latest garden purchase

As I have dug up most of my grass I no longer need my big electric hover mower. It’s a hassel getting it out, getting the extension cable sorted and then having to make a mad dash as soon as one little spot of rain comes down. AND it takes up far to much space in my small shed. It’s too big to fit around the tiny bit of grass I have.
So I bought an eco friendly, non electric, hand mower. I thought I could save on electric and get some exercise all at the same time.
Trouble is…… I HATE self assemble……………..but this one was quite easy.

Tags: garden, garden2011, plants, herbs, vegetables

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delete reply forelithe wrote on Jul 3, '11 Your garden is wonderful !

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jun 29, '11 brendainmad said Maybe your neighbours will copy your idea about the vegetable garden. Oh Brenda I wish................but not much chance of that, I get the impression my neighbours think I'm a bit excentric.........can't imagine why :-)

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jun 29, '11 greenwytch said great blog, my dear. and i love the mower. ; D Oh me too Deb.............I've used it and much prefer it to my bigger electric mower. I know if you have huge area of grass this little mower would not be enough, but for me its just perfect...............AND ..... doesn't it look so cute and pretty sitting in my garden ??

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jun 29, '11 veroniquemariquita said I have found a wonderful (free) container for freezing small bits of stuff. Thanks Vero, I love when its 'FREE'..........not just because you don't have to pay but also because there is far too much waste and its good to recycle things. If you look at the little plastic tubs on my table, they were originally full of ready made 'fillers' for baked potatoes or sandwiches. Using the containers sort of makes me feel better about buying ready made fillers and not making my own . I also have a collection of yogurt pots that I start seedlings off in..............

delete reply veroniquemariquita wrote on Jun 29, '11, edited on Jun 29, '11 You certainly are making great use of your gardening area. Love the idea of the herbs in pots. So much prettier than just sticking them in the ground. I have found a wonderful (free) container for freezing small bits of stuff. Plastic tubs that Gerber baby food comes in. Our "baby" is five now but she still loves eating the sweet potatoes and carrots so that Grandma can have the containers. lol

delete reply mitchylr wrote on Jun 29, '11 Your garden is looking splendiferous!! THe herbs are really doing well. Yes, all the rain we've had certainly makes a big difference,

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Jun 29, '11 great blog, my dear. and i love the mower. ; D

delete reply brendainmad wrote on Jun 29, '11 I always enjoy seeing what's new in your garden. Maybe your neighbours will copy your idea about the vegetable garden. I remember how good the food was from our garden when I was growing up.

delete reply djdx wrote on Jun 29, '11 I think it looks great. Why should there be a standard idea of what a front garden should look like? Go for the vegetables, although I don't know how short your season is, I think there is hope. You could maybe put a fleece on at the end to lengthen things out a bit. We ate some new potatoes last night. :-)

delete reply lrrpslady wrote on Jun 28, '11 Just lovely Loretta.

delete reply starfishred wrote on Jun 28, '11 wonderful :) we had 37C yesterday it was 24C all night today it is suppose to rain a bit hope so it is hot

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jun 28, '11 I love basil, my basil this year hasn't done as well as last year but its Ok and maybe it will pick up a bit now the weather is better. Sage.............thats one I forgot, I should find some seeds and plant it.

delete reply esoterika713 wrote on Jun 28, '11 Very nice. We have a co-op member do our lawns. Luckily, I don't have to worry about it. Although I have to weed around the gardens which means taking grass out here and there. Your plants look wonderful. Gardens provide such happiness. By the way, we planted a lot of herbs this year too. We planted Basil (tons of it), sage,rosemary, thyme, parsley,coriander, zucchini, cucumbers,raspberries and tarragon.