Spectral Dust

Dang! I see, too late, that there was a 'potato photo of the year' contest. Next time.

Zonnebloemen

The one in the middle is about 10 foot tall, bloom the size of a large dinner plate and the base of the stem is about 2 inches diameter. The others were gifts of Dr.K, so I don't know the variety but have several blooms per plant of about 6 inch diameter and overall height is close to 10 feet as well.

Curly Cukes

Coming thick and fast now... Telegraph and Longue de Chine

LeftOvers

Dug some second early Charlottes yesterday. When I opened my storage sack I found these. They look a bit like arteries feeding some desiccated organs. Perhaps if I was more adept at haruspicy I might decipher a message regarding this year's harvest.

Winsome X 6

Started hatching three weeks ago today. Another week and they will be able to go outside, for now I've been bringing outside in to them.

Solstice Stock-Taking

After zero rain in May we have had a couple of nice wettings this month so everything is looking a bit happier. One sunflower is taller than me now, potatoes are flowering, first blueberry has ripened and tayberries continue to produce copiously. I especially like the things that just self seed - foxglove, nasturtiums, chard - popping up in a path or next to a cabbage. Still no red tomatoes, but we've eaten a courgette.

June Already

And that day of rain in April was it. There was a promise of rain yesterday which didn't materialize. So watering has been an almost nightly activity. Collected the first handfuls of snow peas and giant Tayberries. Small tomatoes forming on 'Peasant' early variety and tiny little cucumber beginnings are visible. And I can never get enough of marvelling at tendrils...

Finally

An end to our drought! And with the rain the mercury has dropped to 10°. I removed all my seedlings and plants from the greenhouse and cosseted them indoors under the grow lamp for the day.

Seed Packets

Above are some of the newly designed seed packets from 'Real Seeds' which I received this winter. I have only just discovered footage of their 120 year old seed packing machine! Brilliant. See it in action here.

Barley Patch

My trial 'field' of Lawina Hull-less Barley is coming along nicely!

Remains of Today

Cleaning up, re-positioning and re-kajiggering the hen house to make it into a duck domicile has turned up the treasures pictured here.
Exhibit a. A solitary wasp nest

Exhibit b. Dead Peacock butterfly

Sheep-Shifting

H has sent me this very helpful guide to manoeuvring one's sheep...

Sitting

Unendowed with wealth or pity,
Little birds with scarlet legs,
Sitting on their speckled eggs,
Eye each flu-infected city.

W.H.Auden The Fall of Rome


Pigeon nesting near London Bridge, possibly unaware of the pandemic

The Up-side?

It hasn't been this quiet since Eyjafjallajökull blew.

Bloomin' Equinox

First Pull

Back from hibernation now and glorious weather in the garden - when it's not raining.
Today we'll have our first taste of rhubarb ...

Green Meat Radish

"I first of all found that radishes agreed with me, then they did not,
now they do again."
Michel de Montaigne

January 2020

Temperatures remain mild here in SE London and we haven't had a ground frost yet. We had 150% of our average rainfall and 1.3° above average temperature in December.

Winter Solstice

The Holly and The Ivy

Tiny Tim

'He' has discovered the seed I put out for the robin.