Sizzling Sunshine

Another busy gardening week with mixed weather. The Helm wind was blowing on Tuesday night and was so strong that it moved one of my very heavy plant pots and broke one of my favourite pottery birds. By Wednesday the wind had dropped and we have had hot weather. That evening I was weeding on my allotment in just my T shirt until 8pm. I have made great progress with my weeding. We now have a hosepipe on the allotment that allows me to water the soil before I dig, this helps to break down the sods. I hope to finish clearing the plot by the end of next week. I am up to date with all my weeding in the Artful Garden and at home. Unfortunately we have a young rabbit in the Artful Garden.

I have planted borage and phacelia seedlings against the hedge on the allotment. A large border of wildflowers in the middle of my plot. Also leeks, spinach and chard. I have made windmills as bird scarers.

The plants are now looking more healthy

Most of the trees are in leaf and there is nothing more wonderful than to drive under an arch of trees and see the dappled patterns made by the sunlight. The hawthorn is now in bloom and smells so sweet.

Tiny dots on the end of the stamens

We have made the sweetcorn propagator which is warming up the soil before we plant the sweetcorn.

Our allotment hot house

The strawberries are in flower.

We need rain to bring on the fruit

The dandelions have now turned to seed - dandelion clocks. As a child you blew the seeds and counted the number of times it took to blow all the seeds away. This told you the time.

Dandelions in all there stages of growth

A beautiful dandelion clock

Woad flowers growing in my garden at home.

You use the leaves for dyeing

The golden hop is growing quickly.

I keep winding it around the trellis

A view across the Eden Valley from Hartside.

Look at the field patterns

I am starting to redecorate my allotment shed and have acquired some veg. 

'Fresh veg'