For National Gardening Week

My Woodblocx raised bed on my patio earlier this year

Today is the last day of National Gardening Week and this year's theme of edible growing. To celebrate, I've posted daily photos on Twitter, plus some on Instagram and it's great to use this post to look over the week and see the visual diary of what's happening in my garden right now.

What you won't find is the confession I've waited a while to tell you: I gave up my allotment last year. I cried when I made the decision, but my renewed enthusiasm for gardening this year shows it's the right one.

Woodblocx bed in its new position in Midsomer Norton

You'll see from the photo at the top of this post that I brought my lovely Woodblocx raised bed back home. It soon became clear that I didn't have the right space for it here, but there is a very happy spot available for it in the community garden at Midsomer Norton station, which is where NAH has his steam engine. I look forward to going there later this year to see how it's settling into its new home.

Raised planter with spring bulbs which will be used for cucumbers later this yea

So now I have an exciting new project for the garden called 'Bringing the allotment back home', where I'll attempt to place the things I'll miss from my allotment into my garden's setting. I anticipate it's going to take around three years to get things exactly how I want them, but I'm going to enjoy myself in the process. The pictured planter is where I experimented with growing cucumbers last year, which was very successful judging by the need for my Tzatziki recipe to cope with the glut!

It's heartening to see I can find at least seven things to say about my garden from an edible perspective from the entries I posted this week on Twitter and Instagram. My veg plotting is here to stay 🙂🙂🙂


Wild garlic and alpine strawberry entry on Instagram

Meanwhile on Twitter...

Hawthorn entry on Twitter

You may have seen the edible qualities of hawthorn leaves tested on last week's Countryfile where they were described as "peppery". I didn't get that with my tasting, but perhaps I should have tried the leaves before the flowers came out. This is what one of my commenters on Twitter told me I should do.

Strawberry 'Just Add Cream'

It seems the pigeons like my patio strawberries too. I shall be looking out for some stylish crop protection at Malvern later this week.

Potted windowsill basil

I've also planted out a new purple sage in a patio pot this week, with more herbs set to come...


Mixed lettuces ready for planting out

With more frost forecast for the rest of the Bank Holiday weekend, I'm set to continue with dancing the indoors/outdoors hokey cokey with my lettuces!

Patio quince

My fingers are still crossed...

Drying thyme

Gardening is great for being 'in the moment', but we also have to think ahead, as this photo illustrates.

What have you been up to this gardening week?

Comments

  1. Muddy Jeans5 May 2019 at 19:01

    I finally gave up my allotment this year after 14 years. It was a hard decision after so many years up there but I have not regretted it once. Like you I am finding renewed pleasure in my own small patch and re-designing one end of my garden to house a couple of raised beds for veg and cutting flowers is very exciting! For the last few years I have felt that I have been spreading myself too thin trying to keep both the allotment and garden looking good and succeeding at neither. I look forward to following your progress as you bring the allotment home. Happy gardening!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP5 May 2019 at 20:14

      Hello Muddy Jeans :) Your story is similar to mine - I realised last year I was doing 2 gardening things badly instead of doing one well. After 15 years - including several where the allotment saved me from stress - it was time to let go. As you say new plans and projects are very exciting, it's wonderful to have my gardening mojo back again. Enjoy your garden!

      Delete
  2. Anna5 May 2019 at 20:44

    I can understand why you cried VP and I will too when the time comes to say good bye to my plot. I think that Muddy Jeans has put into words what I'm doing and it may be time to call it a day before long. I'm also looking forward to reading about how you bring your allotment home. No doubt I will pick up some useful tips. Have fun! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP10 June 2019 at 18:46

      Just been planting out my cucurbits - I'm going to try growing one of them over an arch!

      Delete
  3. Lisa Wagner5 May 2019 at 20:59

    I may have commented already, but downsizing our vegetable garden is not a bad thing. I’ve done that moving to the mountains of NC, but now having a second place in Quebec, well, that’ll be in raised beds, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP10 June 2019 at 18:47

      I'm amazed at your upkeep of 2 places Lisa, Quebec must be very special. Thanks for persisting with leaving a comment, it's much apprecated :)

      Delete
  4. Flighty6 May 2019 at 14:55

    What a shame about the allotment, but I'm certainly an advocate of doing less better when it comes to gardening. I've been plotting on as usual. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP10 June 2019 at 18:48

      I'm really enjoying gardening this year. It's great having the feeling I have the time to get things done :)

      Delete
  5. Sue Garrett6 May 2019 at 19:38

    Pigeons are such a pest. We sometimes feel torn between our garden and our allotment but for now we cope.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP10 June 2019 at 18:49

      Last year was a write off for me and with no-one wanting to step in and help, it was time to rationalise things a bit

      Delete

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