2017 - 06 - Tuesday 13th

Scarlet wanted a dander, so I joined him, clicking as I went.

"You were SUPPOSED to be going for a walk with me, NOT taking dumb photographs!"

Lots and lots of things happening in the garden! I'm going to try to do this at least once a month :) Its a pity it takes so long doing even a short write-up, but once a month should be possible...

Great Mullein

The Great Mulleins are now huge! The two standard ones are about 5 feet and almost finished flowering, but the big silver one is now standing at 7 feet plus!

I'm still waiting to see if the flower spike creates branches, so I can figure out the species.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Purple Sprouting Broccoli :) Only about 1cm long at the minute, and nothing at all yet on most of the plants.

Beetroot

The beetroot are doing great. The largest are now about 2" across, and ready to be thinned out and boiled.

Lettuce

The lettuce seedlings we got from Sarah Raven are ready to eat, and are gorgeous things to look at!

Carrots

Teeny tiny carrots are ready - and they were no size just a few weeks ago! The largest can be thinned out now for dinner. Still only 1cm across the shoulders, but with the density of planting we'll need to make growing space somehow :)

Broad Beans

We now have some tiny broad beans... some of the more recent flowers are looking a bit funny. Not sure if it is just the dead petals or if something has gone wrong - maybe scorch from the gales we had.

Opal Plum

It was a great idea of Peter's to put the Opal against the fruit arch. It's been in the holding pen at the kitchen for at least a year, but look at that fruit! I'm still making a mess of the pruning on the other plum trees... I'm seriously thinking of doing no pruning this year, apart from thinning branches.

Only 2 fruit that I can see on the original Opal, after no flower as usual :(

Little Red Pear

I'm really going to have to get the names of the fruit trees and do labels. I can't remember the name of this little pear on the arch, but doing REALLY well.

Tomatoes

The tomato basket we got from Donaghadee is producing LOADS of fruit. At least now that My 1.5L watering can has arrived I can start feeding, as he's looking a little tired (probably from the cold snap we've had too). The Hillmount basket is doing equally well, if further behind.

Kiwi

It's my tiny Issai Kiwi! He's certainly not a strong grower (not sure if that's a species or plant thing), but at least it has now got its feet in soil and showing growth. The Jenny is already looking like a bruiser and it's not even out of the pot!

Currants

The red currants are starting to ripen. The birds have been an absolute pain the the arse this year, with the whites being stripped off even though they are nowhere near ready. I've been blaming the blackbirds, but since they have normally been sensible I'm wondering if the Bull Finch I saw is making forays into the fruit.

Pottager Lupin Bed

I know it's only a year old, but this bed is looking stonking! There will probably have to be a little shuffling to allow for growth, but it should be pretty close.

A few things had to be moved out this year to allow for the huge amount of lupin growth (Echinacea, Tulbaghlia, something else). Note the healthy nettle right in the middle!

Clematis

These little 'Cousin It' seed heads are gorgeous!

Potager Rose Bed

This is looking so colourful!

Spacing has gone awry (due to things being moved from the other bed), but once things have settled for a year a bit of shifting can take place as usual!

Cherries

I never imagined there would be so many cherries this year!

I've had a google to see why some of them seem to have virtually no flesh - is it the varieties or did we not water enough during the spring drought? No answers yet...

FROM HERE

TO HERE

Blueberries

All of the blueberries have vanished on all but one bush. I suspect drought in this case.

Pomegranates

I'm far from sure about these in our climate... an old French variety that is supposedly fully hardy, but lets face it - any fruit we get is going to be the size of peas, kept in pots like this!

A nice experiment anyway!

They are certainly far from vigorous growers, and I've my suspicion that they will be a bit like olives - will live for centuries and not produce fruit for years...

Rhubarb

Yes, it needs weeded, but finally growing well!

Belgian Fence Apples

I had thought these were one variety (forgotten - again!), but are Red Falstaff and Scrumptious. LOADS of fruit - will have to be thinned.

Strawberries

Wowser!

What a crop this year!

The plants on the greenhouse path need fed, especially after the amount of fruit they have produced.

In the Greenhouse

Tomatoes

A little bit of scorching, but looking good! The auto-vent Peter got me is doing its job well..

The bush Tomato is huge, and an amazing quantity of fruit.

Not too many peaches this year - currently about 2"

Lots of baby Peppers! Sick of the slugs drilling holes, so trying copper tape round the pots this year.

Grape looking very healthy.

Baby Grapes!!

Tomatoes,

Tomatoes,

And even more Tomatoes!

Bits and Bobs from Around the Place

I love this planting scheme soooo much!

Every so open we talk about moving the Cardoon, because it is so big.
Every year we're glad we didn't because he is so spectacular, and deserves to take over the bed!