picked this week

a scorching hot week with no rain and night time temperatures up above 10 degrees. planting tomatoes and cucumbers out into greenhouse floor and keeping my fingers crossed that there's no evil late frosts.

meanwhile, we at last have some REAL broccoli to eat rather than the bursting brussels mock broccoli.

also still lifting radish from the allotment and the first from the later sowing at home.

picked this week

actually a real amount of produce this week - two batches of rhubarb for muffins

two batches of radishes from the allotment - our first own-sown crop!!

more bursting brussels bits and leaves

chives, rocket and small spinach/lettuce for salad

and oregano, lemon balm and thyme for the dressing

blossom

flowers and fruit on the redcurrants




lilac in bud


















two colours on the flowering cherry - the flowers should be pink but sideshoots low down on the trunk, below the grafting point, have white flowers








two out of three apple trees are in flower - the pippin and the B+Q tree, now in its 3rd year here and covered in flower again after so few last year

spring borders - red and purple.

apeldoorn tulips and honesty - clashing or complementing?

Tulips

from the allotment

the first sown-by-us crop from the allotment.

Went there today to plant out cabbages, cauliflowers and onions and thought I'd check on the radishes, originally sown inside the polytunnel, but I was totally surprised to find them ready to lift!!

picked this week

starting to get a few more bits and pieces from the garden -
a mixed batch of salad leaves - lettuce, two types of rocket, spinach, chives, lemon balm and oregano.









'mock broccoli' or, as it's more commonly known, bits of brussels running to seed.

April in the garden - veg

lots of life in the vegetable patch now - most of the vines from the allotment are alive...


..tomatoes and cucumbers growing well and waiting for warmer weather...






...rhubarb nearly ready to pick...

















I've planted out sugar snap peas and broad beans this week - both still protected by yogurt cartons and fleece




lots of little salad leaves coming on in the greenhouse....


and lots of flowers ...apple blossom.....


strawberries......and dog violets.

picked this week

pulled out some more brussels sprouts plants this week. eating the opening sprouts, the leaves off the top and giving the stalks to the dog as pretend bones!


bits of young lettuce and rocket, and snips of chives for a small salad.

April in the garden - flowers

Still have lots of daffodils flowering but heading towards tulip time with small Red Riding Hoods, a tiny yellow Tarda and the first of the tall Appeldoorns in flower.
























everything else racing to catch up - honesty, forget-me-nots, muscaria and even dwarf rhododendron in bud.