Dodging the raindrops

I managed to get into the garden for a few minutes between the rain showers today.  I didn’t get chance to do any gardening but did take a moment to enjoy the flowers that are out now.  I’m very good at spotting all the weeding or plant maintenance that needs doing and not nearly good enough at enjoying the garden by just being in it and smelling the flowers.

Small daughter has been on a personal mission to count the number of bees in the garden.  I think this may be something of an impossible task but it’s keeping her amused.  I’ve been doing my best to grow flowers that the bees will like and this spring the garden has been full of foxgloves, Welsh poppies and aquilegia, most of them self-seeded from last year’s flowers.

I love to hear the bees buzzing inside the flowers, particularly foxgloves.  I have both white and pink foxgloves this year; the white are my favourite and I try to make sure that the seed from those is scattered generously about.

I also took a quick look at the vegetable garden.  I don’t have a great deal of space to grow vegetables as I want them to be as close to the kitchen as possible, but it’s all made much easier now that I’ve got my raised beds.  This will be the third year that I’ve used them and it’s made a massive difference – I can keep the soil levels up quite easily, it’s easier to control the slugs and snails and it looks tidier than my previous vegetable patch.

Everything’s doing very well now after a slow start.  We had our first courgettes last night (niftily hidden in leek and potato soup), the mange tout peas are finally producing pods.  This year I’ve planted climbing French beans for the first time so it will be exciting to see how they turn out.  The carrots have recovered from the cats rolling all over them in the sunshine a few weeks ago and I think the baby beetroot are almost ready for harvesting.  Happy times!

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15 Responses

  1. Mammasaurus says:

    I too find the garden a real source of inner peace and tranquility, I could spends hours outdoors at the moment where so much is growing and the bees buzz round.

    • Winwick Mum says:

      Thanks for your comment, Mammasaurus! I firmly believe that everyone should spend time the garden or at least out doors every day. There's something about the fresh air that's good for the soul!

  2. Unknown says:

    Oh, I love your raised veg beds, they are fantastic. It's great having your own vegetables, so satisfying.

    • Winwick Mum says:

      Thanks for your comment, Nichola! You're absolutely right, it's brilliant having your own veg and especially so close to the kitchen! There's nothing quite like the taste of really fresh veg – especially tomatoes!

  3. Katie says:

    yum Courgettes! Have you ever tried the yellow ones? Super yummy with melted butter. love summer veg!

    • Winwick Mum says:

      Thanks for your comment, Katie! No, I've not tried the yellow ones – green ones are easier to hide in food as small daughter insists she doesn't like courgette. I don't think she actually knows how many she eats!

  4. Winwick Mum says:

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  5. Michelle O says:

    Your raised beds look wonderful – I hope we manage to build some, someday…it's so gratifying planting and harvesting your own veggies! Hope you get a bumper harvest!

    • Winwick Mum says:

      Thanks for your comment, Michelle! Our beds were built for us by a joiner doing some work at our house – much cheaper than buying them and it also saved the world from my DIY!

  6. Jean says:

    I'm very envious of your raised beds! My garden is quite compact and I don't think I could fit any in, but they would be very useful.

    • Winwick Mum says:

      Thanks for your comment, Jean! I love my raised beds, they've exceeded all my expectations!

  7. Helen says:

    love the veg plots, are you growing marrows or courgettes there as those leaves are enormous

    • Winwick Mum says:

      Thanks for your comment, Helen! I'm growing courgettes, it's a variety called "Black Forest" which is a climbing courgette; I'm hoping to train it upwards rather than have it sprawling outwards across the garden like some kind of edible triffid. Of course, the thing about courgettes is that if you don't pick them fast enough they soon grow into marrows so I'm sure I'll be having one or two of those this year!

  8. Unknown says:

    I've been asking Mr S for raised beds for years, I'm gonna show him yours, might get some action then! 🙂

  9. Winwick Mum says:

    Well you never know! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Thanks for your comment!

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