Monthly Archives: May 2016

Lardon Chase

Posted on May 31, 2016 by

After saying bye bye to our YHA at Streatley-on-Thames this morning, it seemed fitting to have a closer look at some woods we had discovered on Sunday. We didn’t have a lot of time to explore but at last I … Continue reading →

Posted in In the kitchen, Social | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

The River Thames

Posted on May 29, 2016 by

Goring, a village on the Thames this afternoon. Amazing wisteria! A local passing by as I took the above agreed – but the banks of the Thames were no less charming. Rapeseed gets everywhere. Boathouses less so. I didn’t know … Continue reading →

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‘Nature abhors a vacuum’

Posted on May 27, 2016 by

My original plan for the herb garden, once the hugel beds were in, was to use bricks to make a path between them. However, that hasn’t happened yet, so volunteer plants have been making their way to this patch of … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , | 8 Comments

View from the kitchen window

Posted on May 25, 2016 by

I learned on the PDC course that it was normal to have a dip in the weather about now, but I’m hoping that today will be the last of the chilly days.  I do love my garden when it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Clearing the path

Posted on May 23, 2016 by

Last year, between two of the stones that constitute the garden path, there was an interesting collection of plants: brambles, silver birch and dandelion. Needless to say, I didn’t plant any of them and didn’t want them there. At the … Continue reading →

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One tomato plant has had its day!

Posted on May 22, 2016 by

Last autumn, a tomato seedling appeared in a pot on my windowsill. No idea how it got there but, out of curiosity, I decided to let it grow to see what happened. The upshot was an occasional cherry tomato in … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

Dianthus (Sweet William)

Posted on May 21, 2016 by

I had run out of compost for seeds (my own is far too heavy and in any case none is ready at the moment), so I decided the next best thing was a bag from my local garden centre. And … Continue reading →

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Repurposing the repurposed

Posted on May 20, 2016 by

Officially, the last day for frost risk is 22 degrees Celsius in Leeds. Not sure if it is the same where I am but since the night time temperatures are predicted to be about 10 degrees over the next few … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Three Sisters peeping through

Posted on May 19, 2016 by

The second attempt at courgettes seems to have been a fail, so I have sown some more in perhaps the vain hope of the third round germinating. On the other hand, I’m ever so pleased that the runner beans are … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

Time to get the net out

Posted on May 17, 2016 by

The mangetout I sowed indoors and then planted out after the ones sown in situ had started poking through the top of the milk cartons put over them as a cloche. So, even though the nights are still cool, feeling … Continue reading →

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