Another day of sunshine and showers. The plants, trees and shrubs are sucking up the warm hours of sunshine and the early summer rains. The weeds seem also delighted and seem to spur on other plant life in a race for space and show.
The poly tunnels are slowly filling up with lettuces, mustards, aubergines, tomatoes, cucumbers, baby carrots and spinach. The broad beans that I planted early February, are the healthiest I’ve had so far, not a black aphid in sight (whilst those that were planted in an outdoor bed, have unfortunately been attacked by the sap sucking little beasties) They’ve reached to double the height they were when planted last year outside and boasting a delightful crop. I continue to nip off the primary shoots as this prevents the black aphid from being attracted to the sweet sap (providing you get in there in good time!) and enables the plant to concentrate its growth into producing more pods. These top shoots are young and tender to eat, cooked like spring greens and a texture resembling of spinach with a sweet flavour of the broad beans. I’ve been picking them whilst quite young as they are still bursting with baby sweetness.
The climbing beans have been partnered up with summer squashes enabling me to use up spare ground cover and to keep the weeds down. Courgette plants and mangetouts are finally taking on some growth despite being munched to almost non-existent proportions by cavernous slugs. The mangetout and petit pois varieties have shot up as though they were given wings for leaves and are starting to produce delicate little flower heads. I can’t wait to see this teepeed little bed in full growth and production.
Spring onions and leeks are loving all this wet and dry weather. Each day that I check the veggie beds, shows signs of healthy growth. Even the cabbages (that have been netted) are looking quite smart and contented with themselves in their stately manured rows. Gooseberries are starting to blush in the warmth and blackberries to deepen in colour.
This week, I shall clear another two beds for the remaining pumpkins that are positively straining to stretch out their stems and leaves and become kings of the veggie patch again. They’re greedy plants, loving rich manured soil and plenty of space.
The first sowing of rhubarb chard didn’t do too well, many seeds not germinating. I took the chance of using up some old seed packets to see what would come up. The second sowing (new seed packet!) has fared better again and seem much happier than last years crop. Once the leaves are large enough, the red mid-rib can be cut, cooked, and served like asparagus. Then served up with freshly milled salt and pepper and a good dollop of garlic butter.
I’ve been prioritising my days to the PYO flower garden over the last two weeks. Clearing the pathways and spreading over straw to suffocate the weeds and keep the punters to the paths. Weeding all 36 beds is a never-ending job, but working amongst all the gorgeous blooms of lupins, delphiniums, phlomus, daisies, giant poppies, roses ad several other varieties of perennials, whilst keeping a careful eye out for bees that have begun their work in earnest and an open ear to the cacophony of birdsong, keeps me ever present and mindful of my work. This is the month when you are given access to this garden, free to stroll quietly through its many paths, remembering to be mindful of all the bees, whilst you fill your bucket.
A good month ago, I planted more lovage to fill in the empty gaps in the herb garden. This herb, takes patience, from germination to transplanting, out to its final position. It is a culinary treat, as the entire herb can be used in cooking, from the leaves to the roots. The leaves being used as a herb, with the flavour of celery, undertones of parsley and a hint of anise. It’s mild enough to use with fish and poultry but with just enough spice to make it interesting. The stems and the roots can be used as a vegetable steamed or sauteed, the seeds used as a spice.
I’m at the end of my writing space and although I’d love to ramble on about the going’s on in the garden, I encourage you to ramble and roam, yourselves, through its creamy picket fences, corridors of rosa rugosa, and peppered pebbled paths. I wish you a peaceful sensory walk.