Windy and Warm

This week Spring has arrived in bucket loads. There is blossom on the damson, almond and blackthorn. Many are coming into leaf with fresh leaves just about to burst. Our beech hedge is in full leaf. 
There has still been a cold wind so it has not been as warm as it could have been.

I have done masses of of digging and weeding, in all my gardens. I enjoy both activities. I have also planted lots of seeds. Most of them have germinated. I am now trying to keep on top of things as the grass is growing fast. I have lots of forgetmenots in flower in the gardens and the daffodils and tulips are still in bloom.

Flame red tulips

White narcissus in the rose bed

Daffodils

The fruit bushes have come into leaf. I have put cardboard underneath the gooseberry bushes to help prevent gooseberry sawfly.

Can you see the tassels on the blackcurrant bush?

I have planted my potatoes in both the farm garden and on the allotment.

Digging the plot for the potatoes. The soil is very compacted on the allotment

I have started to harvest rhubarb.

A healthy crop 

The cardoon is starting to grow in the Artful Garden. 

Cardoon hoping to grow to reach the moon

I had success at Kirkoswald Farmers market. My stall was admired and I sold several small items. It was good training and I am doing my next craft fair in Keswick  Skiddaw Hotel on 20 May. These are a flour of the items I had for sale.

Fabric collage gift tag

An embroidered tag

A pottery house

A cheeky littler bird

I  found this lovely book in a charity shop. 

Those were the days

I made this kitten for my granddaughter.

Little kitty

Fruit and Flowers

Another week of rain and sun so I have been busy weeding and also harvesting my fruit.
The redcurrants are now ripe though I have only a small harvest. We pruned the blackcurrants and gooseberry too severely so we do not have a big crop this year.

Red jewels

The runner beans are looking healthy and are coming into bloom.

Soon I will be making runner bean pickle

Poppies always look so fragile.

Pink perfection

Classic red

I love feverfew and the sunshine has brought it all into flower.

Tiny pincushions

My onions and garlic will soon be ready to harvest.

That's shallot

This penstemon is a lovely shade.

The flower is similar to a foxglove

The farmers are busy making hay.

Make hay whilst the sun shines

I had a trip to Bowlees in Teesdale. On route to Gibbon's Cave.

Lovely woodland with wild orchids

This is Gibson's Cave where a fugitive lived.

He had an outdoor shower

Low Force is very close by.

Low Force is 2 miles down river from High Force

Look at this old letterbox.

Letters only

The Bottle Boys and Bottle Babes do not know what to make of this old window.

A window without a view

I have added this paper mache butterfly to the Artful Garden.

Flutter by

Two views of my allotment.

Potatoes and herbs

Looking across the allotment towards the sweetcorn

Allotment Advances

The swallows have returned and the birds are flying with beak loads of nest material. A blackbird has made it's nest in the log pile.

I have had a busy week working between all my gardens trying to keep on top of all the weeding, and the other garden chores that need doing at this time of the year. I have now finished digging over phase 1 of the allotment i.e. inside the wire fence. The sweetcorn structure is now complete and I planted the sweetcorn on Thursday.

The completed sweetcorn propagator

Newly planted sweetcorn notice the purpose designed A frame prop

I have also planted kale and Brussel sprouts and today I am planting broccoli.  I have put covers over them to protect them from rabbits and birds.

Protection to ensure a harvest

A view of my allotment.

Yippee, the plot is clear of couch, buttercup and other pernicious weeds

I have started to dig phase 2, the outer border that has not been dug over for a long time. I am creating a flowerbed and then extending the vegetable plots. I am using some of the turf to rebuild a path and another allotment holder is using some to make a path around their shed.

Fruit bushes have previously been on this site

The verges are coming into flower. Dandelions reign supreme.

Zingy yellow dandelions

Golden buttons

Pretty May blossom.

Frothy May blossom

This tree is smothered with blossom.

Whiteout

I have put cardboard under the gooseberry bushes to protect them from gooseberry sawfly. 

Cardboard collars

The cardoon is growing very fast and is now the height of the garden wall.

It looks like a thistle on steroids

Bright red tulips contrast against the blue forgetmeknots. 

Pillar box red tulips

Tiny violets grow beneath the beech hedge.

Dainty violets

The farmers are busy ploughing their fields.

A familiar sight in the Eden Valley

 The ruin of Kirkoswald Castle is only a field away from the Artful Garden.

A tower of strength