Sunday Supplement #8


Sunday Supplement is an occasional round up of the virtual and real here at VP Gardens. I'd like it to be a weekly event just like the best bits and reviews you get in the Sunday papers, but I'm not promising ;)

Web Watch

I believe we need a winter warmer this week, so what could be better than this delicious mulled wine recipe from the Eden Project's chef?

Trending Topic

The continued cold snap this week has presented difficulties pretty much for everyone working in the gardening industry. Plants and trees can't be lifted to send to customers; landscaping and gardening activities have ground to a halt and many staff have had difficulty in getting to work. Lots of people (including a most grumpy NAH) have come down with a cold or other wintery illness. If that includes you or yours, I wish you a speedy recovery.

Link Love

The Constant Gardener has a fantastic advent calendar puzzle for you to unravel and win a prize :)

Blog Action

Don't forget, there's still time to enter my super book giveaway...

AND Out on the Streets is waiting to see how festive your neighbourhood is this year.

Comment of the Week: Anna said:

We have been having great fun trying to identify all the characters who have been snow walking in our garden.

If anyone else wants to join in Anna's fun, this guide is fantastic for birds and my friend Rob's Mammal Detective is a good one for er, mammals.

Keyword Search of Note: is allotment gardens recipes. Most timely as Alys Fowler has posted an intriguing recipe for kimchi (a fiery fermented Korean winter vegetable pickle) over at the BBC Gardening blog this morning. It looks guaranteed to banish the winter blues!

Back to Reality:

I have a crisis: all my kitchen scrap bins are full to overflowing and my lids are ice welded to their compost bins. I hope I can sort them out - I may be some time...

Time Out

Nigel Dunnett is speaking about Pictorial Meadows and rain gardening at the Bath University Gardening Club this week. Threadspider and I are hoping the current icy conditions have abated by then so we can get up the very steep hill.

The picture is of some berrylicious rowan trees at Chippenham station. I'm looking out for waxwings at the moment who seem to go for these kinds of berries, particularly at Sainsbury's car park if their previous form is anything to go by.

Last year I was singing Hallelujah; in 2008 I thought it was Nicer to Share; and finally in 2007 it was All About U.

Comments

  1. The bike shed5 December 2010 at 12:58

    I have just walked past where you took that picture!

    Drove to Calne this morning and walked back along the old railway line - found two quince bushes in gardens by station that I was so tempted to pick!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Esther Montgomery5 December 2010 at 16:24

    I read a blog yesterday where someone was looking for waxwings but they hadn't arrived in his garden.

    I hadn't heard of waxwings till then. Now everyone is talking about them.

    Esther

    P.S.

    'Two people' is the new definition for 'Everyone'.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Janet/Plantaliscious5 December 2010 at 16:33

    Kimchi looks scary, I may just have to try it...

    I too have a compost crisis - the bins are full and its been too cold to dig out the gladioli in the bed I want to mulch with the "done" stuff. Fortunately the council now collects food waste so it is not being thrown away, but I am still feeling resentful that it is not going on my own compost heap to nourish my own garden! Good luck unfreezing your bin lids...

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Constant Gardener6 December 2010 at 14:13

    thanks for the mention VP :D

    must go enter your book giveaway too....

    and good luck getting up that hill!

    ReplyDelete
  5. VP7 December 2010 at 08:05

    Mark - ooh I know where that station is. I see foraging opportunities for next year :)

    Esther - I saw them for the first time a few years back in Sainsbury's car park and they usually make an appearance there most winters. They're a beautiful bird.

    Janet - we don't have a kitchen scraps collection yet and personally I don't want one as I have 9 compost bins on the go!

    CG - you've already enetered by commenting here :)

    ReplyDelete

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I love hearing from you and welcome thoughtful conversations :)

Comments aiming to link back and give credence to commercial websites will be composted!

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