The beetroot looked as if it might be ready before we went on holiday so I decided to pull a few. One of them was a decent size but the rest were quite small so I left some in the soil to grow bigger. Of course, once pulled, action had to be taken so I made my first attempt at pickling using red wine vinegar, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and a bay leaf. My big mistake was forgetting to add some sugar so the result was beetroot spicy enough to blow your head off!
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 The buddleija Davidii is a really vivid purple which is lovely alongside the pink phlox and eryngium. |
 This is a rather cramped corner with dahlias, rudbeckia cherry brandy, oriental poppies, geums, jasmine, heucheras and alstromeria. Maybe needs some sorting! |
 The short-stemmed lilies have now finished and those that were in the shady corner have been removed so these are the only remaining lilies in the garden. The heavy scent carries right across the garden. |
 This poor rose seems to survive in spite of me! It was chopped almost to the ground last year, then I accidentally knocked the first bloom off with my hoe. However, it refuses to be beaten and has presented me with more beautiful blooms. |
I’m rather concerned about my Kestrel potatoes as they haven’t yet flowered. The foliage looked a bit sorry for itself after our holiday but has revived with a good soaking. I’ve looked on the internet and some forums say that Kestrel don’t flower. I suppose the only way to check is to have a rummage and see if there is anything there. I might not grow potatoes next year as the compost is very expensive and the results have been less than good value so far.
The peas are a different story entirely. They have exceeded expectations. I should have harvested a bit sooner however, as some of them had started to dry out. I realise now that I should have kept them as they would have been next year’s seeds. They have now been safely harvested, podded and frozen. Haven’t eaten any yet though, I don’t even like peas!
 The apples are plumping up nicely.
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 The tomato plants are very sturdy with a few tomatoes although there are a many flowers. |
 The nicotiana has finally flowered both in the pot (Tinkerbell) and in the garden (Lime Green). |
 I planted nasturtiums in the raised veg bed to keep the cabbage whites off my cabbages. |
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These two silver birch trees are having a short back and sides this week. When we moved in they were nothing more than twigs. Funny thing is, I never even noticed them growing into these towering giants. Mind you, I didn’t notice my two sons growing to over 6 foot either!
