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 . 

Sunday Mullion Cliff Walking and Breathing - really breathing !

 

                After a few days of severe gales and heavy rain , all is calm again .

        Blue sky and warm sunshine on our faces we took our walk across the cliffs .

                                       Breathing in the beautiful fresh sea air .

We sat back against a Cornish hedge to listen to the waves down below and the joyful sound of Skylarks up above .

Jumping over the little stream that flows down to a beautiful waterfall over the cliff to the sea  .

The sun in the right place , some days a magical rainbow can be seen    .

     

                                               Then head home for lunch .

The Courgettes are up !

 

                   What's happening on my bedroom windowsill ?

The Courgettes are up ! Yay !  Franchi Zucchino "bolognese"....which produce a slightly strange looking courgette . Sort of slightly pear shaped . I am wondering why the other two seed pans have not germinated .

One is a more normal looking courgette and the other ones are yellow . Sown at the same time , same compost . Oh well , we are early ,there is still plenty of time to sow more if need be and these six plants should give us plenty anyway .

These came up almost overnight . I have just come in from pricking them out and potting them up . They are now in our front porch which gets a little warmth . I'll keep an eye on them now as they might pass out . If they show any signs of wilting I 'll whisk them back inside and onto my windowsill again until they get established .

I think they'll be o.k .

We have had some severe gales here again , but no real damage . 

..........and my prayers and thoughts go out to you in the storm and tornado damaged places in America .

So this year I am growing the above courgettes , Butternut Squashes "Hunter" and one different squash , my daughter gave me a seed to try ..but I have forgotten the name of it .I will have to ask her again and  I will update that for you when it germinates . I think it is a  beautiful stripey one .

Oops ! Uploaded wrong picture ! That's my hearty chicken and vegetable soup we're having today , with delicious crusty wholewheat bread and butter .  Real butter . ( I can't believe how much butter costs now ! )

Anyway , On a final note , if you happen to be over in Falmouth today ( and you might want to take the children to the Falmouth Maritime Museum because the Pirates Exhibition is now open ) go take a look at these magnificent Puyas blooming in the Queen Mary Gardens by Gyllyngvase Beach . 

Pronounced  -  Poo- yar  🤣

I snapped this as my husband drove past too fast ( he got told off  and he told me off saying he couldn't stop as he had a car right behind him ..sigh ..please everybody slow down ! ) and I didn't have time to zoom in . Puya chilensis , they are at their best right now . Bright yellow ....absolutely jaw dropping gorgeousness !!! 

Go and take a look !

Have a great weekend all .