Postcard from the outside

Just a quick note to let everyone know why things have gone a bit quiet. It's the weather! The sunny days and long warm evenings make me want to be outside all the time.

The first tomatoes are ripe, peppers and beans are swelling and my onions are starting to look more like vegetables and less like long grass. Sadly the little wrens seem to have given up, don't know why but I doubt they could have raised a brood in less than a month and I haven't seen or heard them for about a week. The bumblebees however are thriving and we have found two more hives in the garden so I'm happy about that.

There's a blackbird's nest nearby, their song is wonderful to hear, and after sunset bats occasionally flit past. I'm not sure what species they are but I guess Pipistrelles as they are the most common. In the east Mars and Saturn dominate the night sky, the orange-redness of Mars is unmistakable and breathtaking.

A couple of nights ago I came home late from band practice and went to sit outside with a beer and unwind. All of a sudden a young hedgehog strolled past just a couple of feet away. It must have come from the front of the house and through the car port, heading straight for the compost heap where I lost it in the shadows. I only saw it briefly but I could hear it rummaging for ages afterwards. I'm hoping to see it again if this becomes part of its nightly foraging run.

It's a great summer so far, long may it continue. Grow into these trousers... >>

Thoughts on gardening

After a not bothering much for a few years, my old love of gardening has surfaced again and, since retirement, I now have the time. I won’t be too ambitious this year though, I want to get things cleared out and tamed for next; that’s when the fun starts. Question is what to grow?

Years ago I used to like big garish ornamentals like dahlias and gladioli but they don’t excite me any more, and you can’t eat them. Gradually I began to grow more and more veg until one year I was so sick of courgettes and runner beans I never want to see either again!

It’s not a very big garden but it’s enough for a small greenhouse, five plots of about 1 by 6 or 7m, a couple of smaller 2m plots, a little pond (which needs dredging) and a patio to enjoy it from. There are a couple of trees against the back fence with a buddleia, a blackcurrant bush and a honeysuckle underplanted with cyclamen, grape hyacinth, crocus and suchlike (I will be careful here till I work out what’s what).

At the moment I’m still clearing out grass and nettles but I have one plot planted with onions (looking good) and I hope to have another ready this week for French beans (I have lots of seedlings in pots in the greenhouse alongside the tomatoes and peppers). After that, planting slows down a bit this year. I want some herbs: thyme, sage, basil, oregano etc, I’ve got some mint and will plant garlic later on, but I’m really planning for next year.

Potatoes, carrots and parsnips are on the menu, and some broccoli. Strawberries and raspberries sure, but what else? I don’t just want to grow vegetables but flowers have to earn their place. I’ll throw in some nasturtiums and pot marigolds, because the yellow petals stand out in a salad, and borage, because the little blue flowers look so cool frozen in ice cubes in a summer drink, but then I’m running out of ideas.

I’m in an adventurous mood, I’ve even thought about having an asparagus bed.

Has anyone got any ideas for unusual, unexpected, tasty and productive fruit, veg or flowers? I would love some suggestions. Grow into these trousers... >>