Friday, July 03, 2015

word of the week #27



Admittedly a little seasonally premature, but there has been much excitement this week in the form of our first few mouthfuls of home-grown food. Last weekend we had a few freshly picked mange-tout with dinner, though letting them grow a little longer results in beautifully sweet peas that I have now got into the habit of eating straight from the pod as I potter about the garden.

There has also been a single ripe strawberry, although a few more are just on the edge. I am toying with whether to let them ripen a little longer in the hope that I will have enough to actually constitute a bowlful, or whether to pick them as quickly as I can so that they don't get pilfered by some eager wildlife.

It is good fun this gardening lark, although one of our hanging baskets has well and truly given up the right after the extreme conditions of the last few days. As I wrote that the lightning started up again so we will see how they are looking in the morning. I've now got plans for a few home-built planters to house wildflowers, and to grow some cut flowers. I love that our garden is quite neat in design, it is very much how I hoped it would look, but I like the idea of a bit of unstructured, overflowing colour, and I thought some containers or large planters along the fence would be a good way of introducing it. The Husband has obviously got the bug too, because no sooner had I mentioned it than he was planning a split level affair with room for even more fruit and vegetables.

That might well be a project which only comes to fruition next year, but for this year our small rations of hand-picked vegetables, and the huge roses that are bursting out in unison are bringing us lots of happiness indeed.

12 comments:

  1. Sounds idyllic. We still suffer from tiny hands plucking everything from flourishing! I can't wait for the day the flowers bloom, it's good to hear you are literally enjoying the fruits of your labout.Definitely look forward to getting tips on your plans for next year. #WotW

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    1. I think our first tip would be to think better about what we plant where. Putting the beans right at the front was perhaps an oversight, as they are blocking the light! I did manage to pluck the first budding aubergine off the stem yesterday when I was showing it to my mum, and I can't even blame any tiny hands for that!! x

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  2. hurray for more flower and vegetable beds, happy planning and then growing xxx

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    1. thank you! we've definitely got the bug! xx

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  3. I love my roses and my cut flower patch, makes me smile so much when I look out into the garden. And we've been enjoying harvesting our strawberries here. We've yet to have any blueberries or raspberries but they look as though they're coming :) Thanks for sharing with #WotW x

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    1. ooh a cut flower patch expert! I'll bear that in mind! thanks for visiting x

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    2. Sounds wonderful, Katie! We have some tomatoes, but they are far from ripe as yet. Your plans sound great xx

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    3. thanks Jane, our tomatoes are yet to appear! x

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  4. How wonderful to be able to eat produce straight from the garden, no matter how small the portions x

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    1. it's great fun! just hope we don't miss out on too much when we go on holiday! x

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  5. There is nothing better than home grown produce, no matter how big or small the quantities are - and it takes a lot of time and effort too, so well done you!
    #Wordoftheweek

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