The UK finally seems to be emerging from the grip of winter ... at last the sunshine seems to be winning thank goodness !
As I look around at the spare beds and everything that 's germinating I ponder that age old question ... where the heck is it all going to go !!
I've got the A team potted up and sheltering in the small greenhouse that will be mine to use this season - 3 x Goldena Courgettes, 3 x Green Bush Courgettes, 5 x Butternut squash, 3 x Turks Turbins. The B team - the additional plants - are still in smaller pots whilst I decide just how many I need and where I can squeeze them.
The 'A' team !
The 'B' team !
My beautiful autumn sown peas didn't survive the endless weeks of snow that we've had, despite the makeshift fleece tent that I erected over the top of them, so I've sown some new ones this weekend. In fact I've sown three types - Dolce Provence, Hurst Greenshaft & mangetout
My broadbeans have also suffered, but those that made it through are now festooned in flowers - I've filled in the holes with some new plants and really must stake them before they all topple over.
The onions, leeks, garlic & elephant garlic seem to have mostly made it through the winter, hopefully a bit of sunshine will encourage them to have a little growth spurt.
I've spent most of April frantically sowing seeds - already germinated and potted on are:
Bunyards Broadbeans
Turk's Turbans
Courgettes - as above A lot of the seeds didn't germinate (think they were Lidl's)
Cauliflower - three varieties, white, green & purple I think
Marketmore cucumbers
In the salad greenhouse I've sown direct into the bed:
Fennel
5 varieties of carrot
basil
parsley
coriander
lemon coriander
rocket
spinach
several varieties of lettuce
Spring onion
and still waiting to germinate are:
Queensland Blue squash
Lidl's special 'mixed Gourds'
Sweetcorn
Tomatoes - Roma & Gardeners Delight
Melons
Crown Prince I think
The trombone looking squash
and something else !
Borlotto beans
French climbing beans
In the allotment beds I've added in some more onion sets, replanted the strawberries, sown Beetroot (3 varieties) and planted Pink Fir Apple potatoes. I'm trying my main potatoes (Charlottes & King Edwards) in bags this season, partly down to space and partly down to being too lazy to plant them in a bed - I can't face having to dig them up again at the end of the year !
I've also got around 6 globe artichokes that also made it through the winter and need to find a permanent home for them to live.
Just in case I didn't have enough plants, I've also been to a nursery in Aston today - I bought tomato plants: chocolate cherry, gardeners delight, Roma & Golden Sunshine and a red pepper which will go into the small greenhouse, once the A team have vacated it !
All in all it's going to be a busy season I think !
Our front garden has about 10 varieties of different flowers in bloom at the moment: violets, yellow tulipss, miniature daffodils just turning, violas, primulas, blue iris, blue grape hyacinth and a few others, along with possibly a very special Fritillaria Sibthorpian: http://www.fritillariaicones.com/icones/ic100/Fritillaria_Icones108.pdf In the back garden, which is more of a patch still, the kiwi plant has kicked back into life along with the fig.
Fritillaria Sibthorpian ?
Love this time of year ! Happy days are here :)
Here is Fergie on Mouse watch @ the lottie
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