THE GARDEN IS A BLESSING

March 15, 2020 | gaiainaction

Yes it is great to be able to get out into the garden and see all the young growth, as well as the insects that are about already. So far I’ve seen two butterflies, small tortoiseshells, a bumblebee, a bee and some small fly types. The photo above is of an hoverfly if I am right. It is great to see the return of the insects. It gives us hope during these surreal days.

Minature tulips, primroses, and three cornered leeks all in flower, or almost.

I actually spent time in the garden to plant out my 14 broad bean plants, and as today we had a lull in the stormy and very wet weather of recent times, it was ideal to do my work. Two broad bean plants the only ones left of what I sowed in the autumn are in flower.

Kale, forsythia and more broad beans, everything is coming alive in the garden.

We have now got two canary birds in an enormous cage. Seeing that it is a male and a female and there has been mating going on ~ we have one egg! It is the second one she lays, the first one we found destroyed and we hope that this time we may be looking forward to a baby canary! It i great fun to watch those birds, they can be funny and lively. They are beautiful in colour and when I put my face to the side of the cage and speak to them they come sitting very close and listening, so very sweet.

We have been self isolating for a week as a precaution against the corona virus because of our age. For us it is not a problem as we are both retired and we can shop online for food. Of course as this whole situation is developing sometimes it feels to me like a surreal film that I am watching. Stay safe all my friends and followers. Much love to everyone.

THE SCENT OF BEAN FLOWERS

May 14, 2015May 14, 2015 | gaiainaction

This evening after my grandson Ruben had gone home I went for my daily check around the garden, everyday there is something else that is wonderful and amazing. Today it was the scent of the bean flowers which I noticed while observing them, a faint sweet scent. The bean flowers themselves are doing great, it promises to be a good crop I think, lucky for us as we both love the broad beans. The overall view of my vegetable beds is one of very lush flowering now, there are several kale plants giving a bright shower of yellow, the chives are starting to flower, the marigolds are flowering profusely, and several other smaller flowers are to be seen. The dandelion though, is finished for the moment and what is happening is that yesterday two little gold finches were eating from the seeds.

I also planted out the rest of the oca plants, some flowering broccoli, and a variety of leaves for salads. The garden is more wild than anything else at this moment, and yet I am picking some greenery every single day to use in cooking, so a colourful and pleasurable, but also a useful vegetable garden, very good for wild life and for humans like ourselves too.

Above: the broad bean plants flowering.

Above: Some dill or fennel, not sure. And the Azalea plant is flowering too now.

Above: Lily of the Valley, and a buttercup.

THIS EVENING IN THE GARDEN`

April 21, 2015April 21, 2015 | gaiainaction

After dropping Ian at the boatyard today, where he was as happy as a pig in mud (his words), I decided to start with planting out some more Broad Beans, the plants now strong and more than ready to go into the raised beds. I am happy to see how lush everything is starting to look and there is good growth too. The Turmeric plant is doing very well, and the Bitter Gourds are almost ready to be planted out too, must decide though where to put them! Then there are the Oca tubers, they have sprouted, their leaves look like that of a Clover. The Fenugreek, and the Okra (Lady’s fingers) has sprouted also. All very exciting, and so lots happening right now in the garden. I mulched the Pea plants as they were drying out too fast during the sunny days, we have not had rain for at least twenty days which is unheard of around here.

Today was so lovely and sunny, all doors and windows open, I was thinking, while having a long drink of Fennel tea outside, that I could easily live outside all the time (temperature allowing). When we were in Portugal last year, even the sink of the chalet where we were staying was outside and I loved that. There is nothing as nice and relaxing as feeling the warm sunshine on your body.