Ups and Downs

Ups..... have finally got the better of the veg garden...restaked the peas and beans blown over from the gales, and planted out some yellow mangetout that were started in the tunnel. Cleared all weeds, have never known the like.........the high rainfall and muggy weather...you can almost watch them grow..literally. Sowed more carrots (Autumn King & Nantes), beetroot (Bolivar), spinach (Matador) and some "cut and come again" lettuce - they will all hopefully grow as fast as the weeds.

The brassicas are loving the cool, wet weather  - they're romping away...(would have shown pic but can't find my phone lead - typical). I just need to stake the brussel sprouts..am also trying the purple "Rubine" ones this year...can't believe I'm getting excited about brussel sprouts! When I tell the kids that some day they'll love them too they just look at me with disgust but I really do love my veg these days and yet as a child I ate nothing but a few carrots. Luckily the kids like almost all veg except sprouts and turnips.

Downs....the flower garden is still in chaos - the beds are still bedraggled from the woeful weather and the weeds worse than ever. Manana manana.

Flowers leftover from the weekend.

Top of the Picks

I've decided to post my top 5 flowers for picking each month and include a little bit about why I love them.

5. Centranthus Ruber (Valerian)

Tough as old boots...will grow anywhere, is easy to start from seed, sturdy stems and lots of them per plant - it's perennial and may be short loved with me cutting it so much but it's so easy to grow new plants so I don't mind.

4. Nepeta Six Hills Giant (Catmint)

(Sorry no pic - not photogenic...looks washed out)

I think I've already mentioned catmint but I do love it - the smell is so uplifting yet never overpowering, the stems are the perfect length for taller arrangements and yet it's dainty enough to be used in a handtie and the bees love it!

3. Linaria Pink Birds (Toadflax)

 

I wasn't too sure about this one when I first grew it last year but it has grown on me (terrible pun). It's not at all like the native toadflax. Very sturdy stems that don't need staking. It's unusual and therefore popular at the flower arranging workshops. The bees love it, it's perennial and is starting to look like a bit of a thug which is a good thing at the minute but may outgrow it's space. Unfortunately it doesn't smell but you can't have everything from every plant.

 

2. Allium roseum

 

I absolutely love these! Cheap to buy, come up every year may even multiply. Good long, straight stem with light enough heads that they don't blow over. You get a slight oniony smell when first cut but as soon as you submerge them in water it disappears and the flowers smell lovely....sort of sweet caramel but not sickly. Great vase life - they go on for ever with little bulblets forming from the base of each little floret - I am going to try and plant these...think it will work...easy to propagate therefore cheap to buy.

 

1. Peonies (of course)

 

What can I say that you don't already know but each year I get so excited to see the buds swell and burst open. I know that they have a short season but that makes them more appealing. They are far less hassle than roses and don't mind the rain so much. Just stake if necessary and don't plant them too deep or they won't flower. After that, just enjoy and admire....they'll live for years.

 

Hope you had a good weekend!

A Good Day

What a great day in the garden. Weather was lovely...far better than forecast. I feel that I've been sinking rather swimming - just can't get on top of my "to do" list. Other things always seem to get in the way of actual gardening.

Today I finally planted out the last of the plants that just weren't ready or just got left behind in the tunnel.....more snapdragons, physalis (chinese gooseberry) bells of ireland. In the veg garden...celeriac, yellow mangetout, more climbing french beans and the last of the pumpkins.

My tomatoes were a disaster. Sown too early and then with the cold spring they were kept inside the house for too long - I ended up with leggy pathetic plants so I was delighted to be given a surplus of super healthy baby plants from a fellow gardener....gardeners are so generous! Now I've got Ailsa Craig, Gardeners Delight, Moneymaker & Tigrella. I have a few of my own planted (Costoluto Fiorentino) but don't know if they'll thrive or not.

The perennial beds are really filling out...in fact some plants are too close together and will need moved...always the way. Lots of flowers for picking.

Valerian, catmint, astrantia, alliums, linaria (Pink Birds & Canon J Went), hesperis, feverfew, applemint, lemon balm, tarragon, single flowered gyp (Covent Garden White) & rosa Graham Thomas. Who said less is more?

Fabulous Fast Food

I love good food....I usually like to stick to my recipe books when cooking. I don't see the point in making things up when there are some fabulous books out there such as Falling Cloudberries and I do love Jamie...he keeps things simple and is easy to follow.....casual but so tasty. Yet I've never been able to find a burger recipe with the wow factor....alot of them are just too boring so I've been experimenting and think I've found the perfect mix. Delish!

Finely chop an onion and add to 1lb of good quality organic mince with a big squeeze of both garlic & tomato puree, a good dollop of both dijon & anchovy essence (great store cupboard ingredient that keeps forever), a plentiful splash of worcestershire sauce, generous sprinkles of both dried thyme & chilli flakes then LOTS of black pepper. Mix & bind together with a beaten egg, press into a burger shape, don't even bother to chill in the fridge, to set, as some recipes suggest as they don't need it. Fry in a very `ot pan (Jean Christophe Novelli) or the floor of the Aga, both sides then serve to your liking. (My liking involves mature cheddar, raw onion & tomato ketchup in a toasted floury bap from the local bakers....lekker lekker).

The Week That Was

I've had a busy week and yet I don't feel I've achieved much. The kids were off school Monday & Tuesday for the Jubilee so it felt like a short week. We had torrential rain on Thursday & Friday so didn't get much done in the garden but it was much needed...in late winter I planted 200 thuja for shelter hedges & just under 200 coniferous trees for shelter belts around the edge of the plot and they will have been thirsty after such a dry spring. I hope they grow quickly as our winds are pretty fierce at times.   

Rosarie De L'Hay

8ft tall foxglove!

We've been having a lot of sea mist.....on Sunday evening it came down at dusk and lay in the valley.

Beautiful Day

I've finally done it! My first proper cut flower workshop in the barn. Weather glorious. Garden far from perfect but putting on a great show. Best of all, the girls that came were fantastic......friendly, lovely and really enthusiastic! The most satisfying part is that I finally got my act together and cleared out the barn, just need a few finishing touches. So busy rushing about with last minute bits and bobs that I forgot to take pics of the garden but will take a few tomorrow.

The girls all did a great job arranging their flowers.

Before & after pics of the barn!

Almost There

What a week. From drought to deluge and the garden has gone into overdrive. Unfortunately the weeds are top of the league for speed and vigour. Mind you the flowers are loving it too. The Horse Shoe meadow looks fab... lots of red clover, meadow buttercup and camassia, the ladysmock look almost like orchids with little double flowers. (Must take photos).

Have been down at Kilcoan for at least 14 hours a day but it still doesn't feel like work....I used to read about other people doing similar jobs and think that they were stretching the truth when talking about the hours they put in. Now I know....weeding until 11pm - it's amazing how your eyes adjust to the fading light. All because I have my first cut flower workshop tomorrow. The barn is almost ready, the garden is almost tidy but I'm a flaffer and spend all day getting distracted... in the middle of one thing, I start another and then get waylaid. Surely I accomplish less than someone who sticks to the one task. I need to go make a list of tasks for the morning (and stick to it!) and then get a good night's sleep. Promise lots of pics tomorrow.