Rain on the way !

 

                                                  Rain on the way !

                                 Thirsty plants waiting to catch some rain .

Trevena Cross Nursery -Sale plant haul !

 

   I am so pleased with these lovely vegetable starts . I think they were reduced because they all really needed to urgently be planted out now .

Their roots beginning to be cramped in their pots .

Rain is forecast for this weekend , maybe the odd rumble of thunder . So I had to get these in the ground as soon as I got home .

                                  I got almost everything planted out .

 Just about 80 onions still to go ......I am so tired ....that's all for now  .

Goonhilly Downs and the Dry Tree Menhir

 

So here we are at Goonhilly again for our afternoon walk . I wanted to find the standing stone known as the Dry Tree Menhir . I hadn't visited it for a couple of years and we were not sure which footpath to take . Of course we took the wrong one , but it was a lovely walk . A much longer walk, but we got there in the end .

                           Here it is !  The Dry Stone Menhir  - c.1000 BC  .

There is also a Bronze Age barrow a short distance from here , I forgot to take a picture of it ,but it is pretty overgrown anyway ,it just looks like a little hill covered in heather . Oh ! I,ll get a picture of it for you next time !

                                    I always think how grumpy he looks ! 

                          Maybe it's because he doesn't have any friends .

                                     Down along and through the trees .

                                                Cool and green .

                         Then back out onto the wide open heathland again .

                           Enjoying the wild flowers , butterflies and bees .

Then on our way again and off to Trevena Cross Nursery , where they are having a sale . A tray of plants for £1.00 and there was a great selection too . 

We didn't need anymore flowers , but thought we could always squeeze in a few more vegetables  .

                                          Our veggie plant haul ! 

Onions ,Sweetcorn , Dwarf French Beans , Climing French Beans  , Snap Dragons and a lovely lemon scented Pelargonium . The plastic containers are good and solid so I can re-use them next year too .

Very happy me ! 

Runnerbeans - second batch for harvest in November

 

Time to plant out my second batch of Runnerbean seedlings . I had been growing them from seed in the shed . I did give each one a stick to wind around and this usually works , but this bunch of Runners preferred to go anywhere but around their sticks . If I don't plant them out today , they are going to take over the shed !

This is the frame I put up the other day and  I planted some tall peas which are still just getting their roots down and settling in .

I thought I might plant the Runners on this same frame . I put the horrible green plastic netting on as I had run out of bamboo canes . Peas are quite happy to climb on this netting , but Runners prefer to wind up an 9ft cane or hazel pole .  I wasn't able to cut any Hazel rods this year due to having a bit of an injury .

                             Then look what I spied on the compost heap !

A bunch of old bamboo canes , a bit grotty but I  think they 'll do ! I think I had decided to put these onto the bonfire as they really were so grotty ! 

I pushed them in and tied them at the top and there were two left over to weave in as crossbars to make the frame even stronger  .

One by one and some pots had two in , I planted them out at each cane .

This old Lavander bush will have one more flowering before I take it out and replace with a  new one . It's lovely sweet scented flowers will attract the bees to pollinate my beans .

The frame on the right is where I planted the first batch of Runnerbeans . I will be planting some French beans in here too .

These are already beginning to flower . The second batch should give us Runnerbeans well into November . 

   So now we are off for our walk . Goonhilly Downs today and maybe pop into Trevena Cross Nursery on the way back . They are having a sale . Trays of plants for only £1.00  ! See you later !  

 

Restoring the Gravel Bed - part two

 

You can't see me . I,m right at the back under the Acer tree ! Hard at it again , pulling out the weeds .

                                                         Here I am !

                                     I,m in here with Mother Robin ...

                                                ......and her little one .

They are hopping about , surprisingly close by to me , looking for insects, worms and grubs , while I am pulling up the Brambles , Ivy and nasty Stinging Nettles .

                                            Another wheelbarrow full !

Summer Solstice 2021

 

                                   Wishing you all a very Happy Solstice !

We are being blessed with rain ! May all your water-butts be full , your gardens be full of flowers buzzing with bees , butterflies , bird-song , young fledglings and baby rabbits hopping about . May your vegetable gardens flourish . 

                              The meadow is ready and will soon be cut .

                              Things are waking up. Bowiea volubilis .

                                         Dioscorea elephantipes .

    A lovely new vine shoot emerging from the top and the remains of last years vine .

           Is this another shoot emerging from the bottom of the caudex  ?

About a month ago I bought a packet of Cordyline indivisa seeds from Darren at Tropical Plants and Seeds on Ebay uk . 

                         I sowed them straight away in this little propagator .

They take their time these Cordyline indivisa seeds ! This morning I can see two tiny green shoots !  I am so happy ! 

The pups that I found while weeding around my Agave salmiana var.ferox .

I popped them into a polystyrene box with some gritty compost and they are now beginning to green up in the greenhouse . The middle one doesn't have much of a root , but you never know . Agave salmiana var.ferox is such a beautiful Agave  and I dont give up on plants that easily !

My Snack size Sweet Pepper plants are beginning to flower , Not sure if these pots are big enough , maybe I should re pot them again ? Someone told me a bit of stress causes them to produce more fruit  . 

 Tomatoes in the shed I just need to top up their compost . Compost is so expensive now ! I planted about six left over plants outside to take their chances ....a rabbit has eaten one already !

I,m taking a break from weeding the gravel bed today as I am all "achy-bones" ! 

               We enjoy and try to live in harmony with the wildlife here . 

 In the ornamental garden , it is best just to only grow plants that the rabbits don't like to nibble .

  They have never nibbled our Dahlias before , until last week , we found one grazed down to the ground !  So my husband has gone around putting this plastic netting around our more precious plants  . I really dont like it .It is not terribly attractive .

 I would rather have one large bed ,with a more attractive rabbit-proof fencing around it . 

So to that end , I got busy with a roll of chicken-wire and the green wire fencing that I had just removed from around the Agave . 

                                                  It is quite attractive .

I think it could work if I attach this to the green fencing , it shouldn't look so bad .

                           Ouch ! Very fiddly to open this wretched stuff !

Then began a long and very tedious job with wire cutters and using the wire that it was packed up in , attaching it at various points to the green fencing .

  It then began to rain , my back aching and my hands scratched and bleeding from the sharp chicken wire . You cant do this with gloves on, I tried ! Can't do any more today . So there it remains , another job only half done .

   I am taking a break ! I will get back to it when the rain eases up .

I,ve had enough for today . Time for a hot shower , TCP , plasters  and a nice cup of tea .

                                       The Strawberries are ripening !

                                                        Bee happy !   x