Butterflies and Bees

In the sunny spells between the rain, the garden seems to be full of butterflies and bees - particularly round the lavender and oregano.

Picked this week - 28th July 2013

Still finding lots of soft fruit,

although the strawberries seem to get smaller each week

raspberries

picked the first blueberries this week and some unripened grapes from thinning out

more redcurrants which went straight in the freezer

broad beans from the allotment

 peas to dry














and peas to freeze

 another grotty cauliflower!

and quite a few runner beans!

Keeping the birds off.

The blueberries are just starting to ripen so it's time to discourage the birds from eating them.












So I've strung up some rattling, flashing milk bottle tops.

Rain at last!

We were woken this morning by thunder, lightning and torrential-sounding rain, so no watering worries for today at least :)

 This seed tray was flooded, the waterbutts were overflowing

but the paddling pool still isn't full.

Picked this week - 21st July 2013

The weather's continued hot and dry most of this week  so although I've picked a lot of fruit, it's rather small stuff - the strawberries were as small as currants!

Even so, this must be our best blackcurrant crop ever. I must have got the pruning right last year.

quite a few things for salad this week - another cucumber and more mangetout peas














lots of lettuce








and some spring onions

In yesterday's drizzle we went to the allotment and picked wintery sort of veg - turnips and beetroot

broad beans and a teeny cauliflower

and lots of peas.

Another week of sun...

 While some parts of the garden are standing up to the heat

 most of it looks dried out and run to seed

despite watering, these pea plants are completely dry






and there are cracks opening up where there's been no watering at all.


Still, in contrast, we're forecast 4 inches of rain on Wednesday. We'll have to wait and see....

A Family Visit

 I've had a family of sparrows visiting regularly for the past week or so. The little ones are being taught where to find the bird table and the best spots for insects and bugs. 

I've seen the parents feeding the babies but not managed to catch that on film.

 These aren't the best of photos but I've had to stand inside and photograph through the windows - even then the noises from the camera startle them at times.

Picked this week - 15th July 2013

 It's been a scorching week so we went away to the seaside for a few days and came back to find the garden and allotment overflowing with produce ..

two sorts of mangetout peas

lettuce, as always

Broad beans

small and scruffy cauliflower

the first beetroot!

The first pepper - and a strawberry for size comparison!

peas - blauwschokker and alderman

little and large of the radish world

 ...and lots and lots of soft fruit - strawberries, raspberries and redcurrants