JULY IN THE GARDEN

July 4, 2015 | gaiainaction

Though busy with other things today, I took a walk in the garden as I knew that the sweet peas would be flowering. I also bought sprout plants to add to my winter collection, and a melon plant, first one I ever will grow, so another experiment. Despite the cool temperatures, the heavy rain, and the wind, the garden is doing well, granted the slugs are having enormous parties every night, a lot of my young plants regularly disappear as do the flowers of a variety of vegetables and flowering plants. But the sweet peas are surviving, their scent so fragrant, so beautiful.
Today I also re-potted my ginger plant, it’s still growing inside and doing very well but it was getting to large for its pot, so that is taken care of. I think that in order for there to be a good crop of roots the plant needs a lot of space. The Turmeric is also still growing well, as is the bitter gourd – I am watching the little buds and hoping that they will expand soon, today I also noticed that there are a few greenfly on the plant again, so tomorrow I will spray with garlic solution and that should take care of it.

Produce is starting to become more bountiful, though we only had a few strawberries, there are lots of black currants, the peas are swelling and we have eaten a few, beans the same. It’s great when the garden really starts to produce daily vegetables which can be made into delicious dishes, It gives such a good feeling to bring them in from the garden, and so onto the table.

I have a good helper in the garden, his name is Ruben and he is my grandson. Every week he comes to us and spends the afternoon, this time is often spent in the garden and I’m teaching Ruben, he is so very enthusiastic and he is such a joy to have along. He will be five in another week, and he is able to do the sowing, tells me when the grass needs cutting, and much more, we both just love working together.

Seeing it’s now July, it is now or never. Temperatures of around 15 degrees Celsius are ok, nights though are cooler. The garden does need more sunshine of which we have not been getting enough. Rain is plenty, perhaps a little too much. At least everything is lush and I am still hoping that there will be a good enough harvest of everything. And I am preparing to have plenty of winter vegetables in the garden, some of which I am now putting down as seeds.

I am finding it all much enjoyable and rewarding.

SECRET GARDEN

June 14, 2015July 11, 2015 | gaiainaction

Sunday morning and a walk around the garden was definitely called for. What I like so much about this garden is that even though it is very small, it has got quite a few little corners that are very special. Take this large fern for example, it came to grow there all by itself, all I do is give it water when it’s quite dry, and it is a glorious plant, it grows under the Mediterranean oak tree in a wild part of the garden. Then there is the lemon balm that grows under a stump of the chestnut tree, the foxgloves that came to grow in one of the bottom beds, and closer to the house there is the borage and sage which again when together look so charming. I love all these little corners, they give a special feel to the garden. We started to develop this garden some 35 years ago when we bought the house, it was nothing more than a field full of nettles and other wild plants. My daughter and I grew the large chestnut tree from a conker, the birch and pine tree we picked up along the hedgerow, and the Mediterranean oak came as a seedling from a friend. Some of the stone structures are old now, some overgrown and the water tap is almost impossible to reach, but it all has character and the feeling is good. It definitely is a mature garden by now, though the raised bed are very recent. And so things get added and changed according to what is needed, a garden is a living thing, so good to have, such a blessing to work in.

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.