30th June 2022 - red roses and no greenhouse

Today I can see Black Baccara from the butterfly doors at the end of the dining room where my writing desk is. I do love the summer sun but on hazy days like today I think the colour of everything is more vibrant. I'm still nursing my peppers, chillis and aubergines in the porch because the greenhouse delivery is delayed until July. I keep checking new sowings of salads, beetroot and radishes everyday, just in case, the first sign of a germinated seed is a heady feeling. My potato obsession continues unabated. I just ordered 2 kg each of Maris Peer and Charlotte seed potatoes along with potato sacks to try growing potatoes for Christmas. 

Black Baccara

I'm picking and picking the currants, raspberries and gooseberries, which our little gardener loves to eat with her morning yoghurt, or on their own straight from the bowl. The delight on her face when she eats a fresh, sun-warmed raspberry from the garden is reason enough to keep on growing. 

Redcurrants hiding from the birds

There's a stillness in the garden today and my mind is quieted too. The weather and I have felt turbulent the past few days. It's not just me feeding the garden, it's the garden feeding me, a happy partnership.

Clusters of blackberries

Yesterday my mind turned to chickens. I'd like to get a few and keep them in the orchard mini meadow next to the veg patch. Our neighbours have chickens and I love the gentle clucking. At the moment I'm thinking I'd like a couple of Sussex hybrids, a leghorn hybrid and I've seen a lovely hybrid from a local seller that produces green/blue eggs. With those I'd have brown, white and blue eggs, from a lovely little flock. Bliss. 

Potatoes 'Alouette', 'Cara' and 'Blue Annelise'

Happy gardening.

Heather