Whats for supper ?

Around the garden

Just one week later from the last photo of this Rhodedendrum.
Profusion.

Please do not disturb.

PLEASE !!

Growing in the cooler part of the glasshouse.

Marigold, Geraniums, Million Bells, Brachycome, Nepeta, Hellichrysum.

Plants in the glasshouse recntly potted up. More Toms & Peppers, Nasturtiums, Indian shot plants.

Growing in the raised bed, Lettuce, Radish, & Beetroot.

In the conservatory.

Toms-Peppers-Aubergines.

Overwintered these Begonia tubers in the garage. I mist them daily just to keep them moist. They will be planted out when they have produced buds with foilage..approx 2-3 weeks time.

Keeping productive

Left of picture 4 tubs of carrots. They were grown at weekly intervals. These will be moved outside in a couple of weeks to make room for Tomatoes.
Growing in the middle on black bench are annuals for hanging baskets and pots. Busy Lizzys-Fushias-Lobellia.
Grapevine to the rear is a Black Hamburg.
On the white bench are Peppers and more bedding plants.

Bean support.

The metal frame was given to me by my neighbour. It used to be a greenhouse frame..many years ago.

When I first saw it I thought it would come in handy to support peas or beans.

So using the branches that were cut from my pruned conifers. I have attached them to the framework. Very rust'y'ic.

The advantage of doing it this way, as appose to using insitu vertical canes, is that I can slide the ring along the horizontal cane as the plants grow keeping the leafs & fruit slightly spaced away from the glass.

The string was then tied to a plastic curtain ring which was attached to horizontal canes above.

Tomato support using the string method.

Before potting up the tomatoes from 5" pots into their final 11"pots. I 3/4 filled the 11" pot with compost then laid string across the top of the pot. I then emptied the tomato plant from the 5"pot into the 11" pot thus trapping the string under the rootball.

The string was then tied taught and then fully filled the 11" pot

We have small pond that I almost filled in last year to plant flowers. Instead i done a small revamp and whilst doing so i discovered loads of empty snail shells. Giving proof to the fact that apart from other pleasures they pursue, hunting and eating snails is another one.

Chilean climber. Although not supposed to be hardy to this country, it has made it through winter on a south facing wall and has flowered very early.

The amount he eats you would be forgiven for thinking thats his dog bowl.

However the empty pots are awaiting Begonias that are in the greenhouse putting on sprouts.

In the raised bed are Centurion onion sets.

Fruit trees planted this year are all in bud. Looking forward to the blossom they will put out. Any fruit that appear will sadly be cut of to give growth to where its needed at this stage,to its roots.

The slightly raised bed with the overwinterd onion sets.

Left of the picture is a gooseberry bush with Rhubarb below.

Had I not taken to growing vegetables i would have hoped to have made this more coulorful..Carpe diem.

Japanes maple gives a radiant contrast against the evergreens as the season turns from summer to autumn.

This put on its first leaves just last week.

The trellis that once was home to four Clematis is now taken up with peas i sown in the ground two weeks ago. I spotted them sprouting a couple of days ago so, have taken evasive action to keep the birds from suffering obesity.

The Clematis have new positions around the garden.

The Star Magnolia was cut back heavy a couple of years ago to allow more light for the vegetable beds behind. A sacrifice that will be weighed against my crops.

Is there any other plant than a magnolia that puts light into your garden so early in spring ?

Its a bittersweet thing that it flowers first before putting on its emerald leaf coverage.

Forgot the name of this shrub..It only has four letters to it !!

I rescued it from my front west facing fence a couple of years ago. So guessing it tolerated a fair amount of shade i replanted it in a very sheltered position between my conifers. As i type this i can see it through the patio window.

With the last couple of weeks being mild at night and mostly sunny days, spring seems to be already at a peak.

The garden is in dire need of rain,and tonight it has forcast heavy showers which in turn will burst these buds into a profusion of artistic dispay.

Camellia. Another acid loving plant. This one flowers early so prone to frost damage. However this year i am determined to protect the beautyful display with enviromesh, should the need arise.

Around the garden in early spring.

Rhododendrons thrive on my acid soil. Although this year they have had a dose of iron added to the topsoil to aid with the soil composite.

Well 'she who must be obeyed' seems happy with my results. Thats makes it all worthwhile.

Might even peel her a few grapes if the vine continues to grow so well.

Cucumbers. To say i'm pleased with the way my plants all seem to be growing well and healthy, I have to say, these are a good example of that.

Citrus moved to outdoors on a rear south facing wall.

Peppers enjoying all the sun the last two weeks have thrown at them.

Aubergines ready for potting on.

Curiosity got the better of me. So here it is..my first homegrown vegetable. One small step for a gardener,one giant leap for me.

Brassicas. Cabbage,Cauliflower and brussels.

Hardening off in the modules are geraniums and Salvia flare.

In the pots are radish.

Strawberry bed.

Broad beans (Bunyards) sown in modules and planted out today 7th April.

Onion sets with lettuce. Just out of shot there is beetroot.

Peas coming along fine. I should be able to add another row and a half this week to finish the bed. These will come from the peas growing in rootrainers. So when empty I can sow my runner beans.

As well as growing carrots in the garden i have also undertaken to growing them in pots..I have 4 pots of carrots growing in the greenhouse. But the space will be needed shortly for tomatoes. So the carrots will go outside on a rased bench to hopefully beat carrot fly.

Vegetable update

Tomatoes are putting on strong growth.