Easter Sunday in the Garden

 

All my seeds are germinating up in the shed and it really is a joy to see .  Soon they will need to be planted out and Oh  my goodness , I need to get these beds , harvested and cleared to make room for everything !

I only have five small vegetable beds , four of which are chock-a-block full of leeks onions , garlic , kale and Purple Sprouting Broccoli  . The fifth bed being the Keyhole bed for the Butternut Squashes and maybe one Pumpkin ....note to self - I need to get in there and pull out flaming bindweed !

I grew the "Large American Flag " variety of Leek last year . I am a little bit disappointed  with them , as you can see , they are on the small side . The parsnips didn't do very well either . I think this was partly due to the very hot weather that we experienced last summer . 

We have had tons of Purple Sprouting Broccoli , Cavolo Nero Kale , Rossignol Kale  and the garlic is looking sensational .

The Autumn planted red onion sets  , got nibbled by the rabbits and I'm not sure they will recover . I'm not going to bother with planting Spring sets . I am growing little bunches of Spring onions and will make sure to cover them from my bunnies  .This year I will grow even more leeks , but just the good ol' reliable varieties .

We have been delighted to see Stoats running about the garden . At first I thought they were squirrels until one stopped right in front of me on the lawn where I sat relaxing with my embroidery .  I said " Hello , who are you ? " and away he scooted . 

Oh my goodness they are SO cute !  

And I am told ..they eat rabbits !  eek !  So , along with the Buzzards and Red Kites and the beautiful Fox , they might just help reduce the bunny population ..ew..I don't like to think of that , but I guess that's just nature .   I love them all really ! I live in harmony with them .

So I gathered everything I could for the fridge and freezer .

In the shed the lettuces are almost ready to harvest . I'm already picking Coriander from a tub by the kitchen door and salad days will soon be here again . I hope the weather won't be so extreme .

Tomato plants almost ready to re-pot again and enough spare plants for a couple of my neighbours , if they would like them .

Hopefully there will be spare Courgette plants and some other things if all goes well . 

                     Cleared away the remaining stalks .

                                                This bed will be cleared next . 

The warm weather we,ve been having has made the kale bolt  We have been eating most of these very tasty leaves through the winter .

                 Now I have to think about what will be going in next .

                                Rhubarb ....yum !

I weeded around the base of the Phoenix canariensis  and put down some woodchip to smarten it up a bit .

                           I love to see these little ferns growing in the leaf base pockets .

                                       Even a couple of Foxgloves have moved in .

I haven't got the heart to split up this big mat of Primroses , as my daughter suggested . Maybe I will do that after they finish flowering . 

                                        Lovely Borage . Borage for courage !

Hope you are having a relaxing weekend . And if you celebrate it ...a very Happy Easter .