Flighty's plot

Autumnwatch

Yes it’s that time of year again, although if you think that it has come somewhat early then you’re right!

This Autumnwatch also sees a new format with a once a week programme over the next two months starting next Friday 2nd October on BBC2 at 9.00pm. Note the later time, and it’s being repeated on Saturday tea-time.

There will the usual line-up of presenters with Simon King, Kate Humble, Chris Packham, Gordon Buchanan and Martin Hughes-Games.

Glo (Porcelain Rose) celebrated her 200th post earlier this week with an entry about killer whales that friends of hers recently saw over in Vancouver! By co-incidence Gordon Buchanan will be tracking these magnificent creatures in the North Sea, which promises to be one of the series highlights.

As always there’s the excellent, informative and interesting Autumnwatch website for news updates, blogs, webcams, messageboards, photo sharing, home movies, links to other UK wildlife websites and video clips from the BBC Natural History Unit archives.

If anyone uses the messageboard you’ll find me there as LawnLounger!

Autumnwatch Unsprung is being shown immediately afterwards, at 10.oopm on BBC2, in which Martin Hughes-Games chairs an audience led informal discussion and debate show.

Have a good weekend!

Plot plants ~ Nasturtiums

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) is a plant that has various gourmet uses as belied by the South American Indian name Indian Cress.The leaves have a tangy cress-like flavour which can be used in salads. The flowers, which have a similar taste, make a good salad garnish or can be pickled. The flower buds and young seeds are used as caper substitutes. Mature seeds can be roasted and eaten, and make a good pepper alternative.

I’m just happy to grow nasturtiums on the plot for their looks! The orange and red flowers I find slightly garish but I like the maroon and yellow ones. Even better is the aptly named variety Peach Melba which I find most attractive, DSCN1661 and is now the new header picture as well.

I’ve saved seeds from the plants that have grown on the plot which should give me another good display next year.

Hello again!

I went to top up the wildlife pond with water this morning and look who I saw! DSCN1727 I would like to think that it’s Frog Newton who I last saw when I was just Pottering and pondering in June last year. Then he was only an inch or so long but now he’d comfortably fill the palm of my hand.

At least he stayed still long enough for me to get this photo before he hopped off into the long grass.

Agatha Christie Week

Thanks to lawn lounger Re I’m reminded that it’s Agatha Christie Week.

It’s not surprising that I’ve long been a fan as my mum had all her books, and always said that she read them aloud whilst cradling me when I was a baby!

I noticed this article in the Guardian yesterday which is all about which are considered to be Agatha Christie’s ten best mysteries.

As well as the books I enjoyed the BBC TV adaptions of the Miss Marple stories featuring Joan Hickson. I’ve not been too keen on any of the other TV adaptions that have been done.

I’ve also always liked the long running Agatha Christie’s Poirot adaptions on ITV featuring David Suchet, who really has made the character his own.

I have to say that when I’m at the library and can’t see any books that I want then I invariably borrow one or two of her novels which are always on the shelf. I suppose that for me they can be called comfort reading!

Have a good weekend, and happy reading!

Just for a change…

I was busy plotting last week I’m glad to say! The weather has been sunny and comfortably warm so I’ve done a lot of much needed, and overdue, weeding.

I’ve also started clearing the areas where I’m going to plant my rhubarb, courtesy of Joe, and next year’s potatoes.

Just about the only flowers still to be seen are a few sunflowers, DSCN1664 and this one double zinnia! DSCN1638

I also collected seeds from various flowers including aquilegias (columbines), pot marigolds, DSCN1629 love-in a-mist, nasturtiums and sweet peas. More about these another time when I’ve sorted them all out.

At the hut last week I bought 20 mini daffodils, of several varieties, and 20 white (I think, indeed hope!) crocus all of which I’ll be planting in the long planter that, thanks to Fox Digger, has stood empty since the spring. The larger daffodils that were in it I’m planting out on the plot.

I also bought three hyacinth bulbs for growing indoors, hopefully to flower at Christmas. They’re the variety City of Harlem which as you see are pale yellow and very fragrant. I’ve been reading up what to do and will let you know how I get on!

Happy gardening!

More sofa flying

As it becomes more autumnal there’s no doubt that we’ll all be doing less lawn lounging and more sofa flying, except perhaps Disgruntled!

I tend to read more books over the coming months and I’ve decided to re-read all the D.I. Charlie Priest series of crime novels written by Stuart Pawson.

The first one is The Picasso Scam originally published in 1995 although I recently bought a good second-hand 2004 paperback for the princely sum of £1-29 plus £2-75 p&p!

The most recent book in the series is Grief Encounters which I wrote about in the post The KitKat cop early last year.

I had hoped that the next in the series would be published this year but reading Stuart Pawson’s – Diary/Blog & News recently I see that although it’s written it presumably won’t be published until next year, and still needs a title!

Have a good weekend!

The Show

DSCN1678

9.00am I walk through the allotment then round the corner to arrive at the Sports and Social Club where it’s already busy with committee members, helpers and a few exhibitors unloading vehicles. Inside the tables are covered in black cloths so that 125 class labels and well over 400 entry cards can be laid out. DSCN1677 On the left is Ron, committee member, and to the right John, show committee member, who are also both keen exhibitors. Christine, the show secretary, asks if I’d like to be a steward, tells me what is involved and I say that I’d be more than happy to oblige.

10.30am There are lots more people now as all exhibits have to be staged by 11.45am. The tables are becoming covered with vegetables, fruit and flowers in an abundance 0f colours, shapes and sizes. Here’s a view of the tomato entries. DSCN1691

12.00am The hall has now been now cleared for judging. I’m with Peter, an old hand at stewarding, and we accompany the vegetables judge. Once he’s reached his decisions and noted them on the entry cards we label them accordingly and also note them on a form that’s later used to enable the certificates to be printed ready for the prize giving later on. It has proved most enlightening seeing the judge at work, with Peter clarifying and pointing out various details. I’m sure that this will be most useful to me next year when I hope to enter a few exhibits.

1.30pm The judging is all done and we adjourn for lunch. A sumptuous buffet has been done by Barbara, a show committee member. As I’m a growing lad I have seconds, and even thirds! We all relax and chat light-heartedly.

2.30pm The doors are opened to the public. The first people to enter are several anxious looking exhibitors hurrying to see if they’re prize winners, whilst others are far more easy going. The hall gradually fills up and as I walk round it’s all…hello…well done…hard luck…have you seen…look at that…if only the weather…next year…

I stop at the tombola stand, manned by Martin, to buy a few tickets. DSCN1689 All the prizes are tickets ending in 0 or 5. Oh look…110…I’ve won something! It’s a packet of aster coloured carpet flower seeds and a soil pH testing kit. Don’t tell anyone but I rather fancied one of the cuddly toys!

A couple of people think that this dahlia DSCN1682 which was placed third is better than the ones judged first and second. I have to agree with them!

Someone says that society member/helper, and a show sponser, Dave has won the domestic class Rock cakes, 4 in number, MEN ONLY! That has us laughing, all the more so when his wife relates his exploits in the kitchen making them!

One of my favourite entries is in the children’s class A model animal made from one or more vegetables and accessories. It’s a cat made from a potato with a small sunflower face. I forget to take a photo, and don’t actually take many all day as I seem to be busy or chatting.

Perhaps the talking point of the day is Joe’s Italian squash which is on show but has not been entered as an exhibit. DSCN1685 It’s the 3 1/2 foot long, 8 1/2 kg pale green vegetable. No one seems to know exactly what it is, and I even asked on the Allotments 4 All forum last week. The marrows in the picture are for the heaviest class, and I was right when I guessed that Joe’s (top left) at well over 9 kg was just a few grams heavier than John’s (top right).

3.45pm The alderman of the borough presents the cups and prizes. DSCN1687 Plenty of the vegetable ones go to Joe and John, whilst Graham is king of the dahlias as usual. Along with all the other winners they receive their prizes to well earned applause.

4.15pm It’s time to start removing the exhibits, including the pumpkins. DSCN1681

5.00pm The hall is empty and that’s it for another year. Several committee members, show committee members and myself go into the bar for a drink or two, which in my case is a glass of lemonade. They all say it was a really good day which went well, and that it’s the best year yet.

7.00pm I’m home, shoes off and kettle boiling for a cup of tea. It’s been a long, tiring day but one which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m already looking forward to next year when I’ll be happy to help out, be a steward again, hopefully enter a few exhibits and just possibly be among the prize winners!

Footnote It should be remembered that it’s thanks to everyone who grows, or makes, then enters the exhibits, the small number of dedicated show committee members, helpers and people just visiting for a look round that the show is actually being held. Well done everybody I applaud you all! Above all it’s enjoyable, and great fun, so if you don’t already then why not support your local event next time.

S is for…

On Thursday Joe confirmed that some of my sweetcorn Golden Bantam were ready DSCN1673 so I took three home and had them for lunch. I put a large saucepan of water on to boil whilst I stripped the leaves and silks off them. In the pan they went for no more than five minutes then out, covered in butter and a shake of black pepper and eaten with a couple of slices of brown bread. They were delicious and I look forward to some more later today!

I’m still picking sweet peas and have a vase full here on the table. I don’t have much of a sense of smell but certainly catch a waft of these! I’ll be growing plenty again next year including the packet of Bouquet Blend which Nikki kindly sent me earlier in the year.

Yesterday was the Newton Park Horticultural Society’s 70th anniversary show which was held at the nearby Sports and Social Club. In the end I didn’t exhibit anything but helped set up on Friday evening and was there all day yesterday when I was a steward! DSCN1693

It was a long, tiring but thoroughly enjoyable day. I’ll do a post all about it later in the week. I should perhaps also mention that I completely forgot to wear my snazzy waistcoat…duh!

So S has definitely been for smiles!

The animals are restless!

Last Chance to See is a new series starting on BBC2 Sunday at 8.00pm which sees Stephen Fry and zoologist Mark Carwardine journey to the ends of the earth as they undertake a search for animals on the edge of extinction.

Lost Land of the Volcano is another new series which starts on BBC1 next Tuesday at 9.00pm in which scientists and film-makers undergo an amazing journey in the unspoilt jungle of New Guinea.

Joanna Lumley: Catwoman on ITV1 Sunday at 7.00pm is the first of a two part documentary. She explores the centuries old relationship between people and cats, which is now our most popular pet.

Uphilldowndown did a difficult post last week but I’m glad to see that she’s now a lot happier with New Beginnings, whilst VP (Veg Plotting) has a new, and rather adorable, neighbour Tilly.

I came across this delightful baby elephant which I know that Daffy will love, and a snow leopard cub which is my favourite animal. Disgruntled meanwhile is just finding that the animals are restless!

Have a good weekend!

It’s a sure sign…

that it’s nearly the end of summer when I start noticing that the mornings are slightly chillier and the evenings just a bit darker as they now are. I don’t mind as I really do prefer autumn with its cooler days and general feeling of mellowness.

I only went to the plot twice during the week, mainly to pick more blackberries, runner beans and sweet peas DSCN1644

Both roses have had a final flourish with the Valentine Heart already losing all its leaves making this solitary bloom look rather forlorn DSCN1658 In contrast the Pretty Lady was covered in blooms for a couple days DSCN1657

VP (Veg Plotting) pointed out to me in this comment that there are a couple of watchable programmes on terrestrial TV at present. I owned up to the fact that I’d forgotten about one of them and missed the other! On BBC2 tomorrow at 7.00pm is the second, of five, programmes A Garden in Snowdonia. The series is all about the story of a year in the life of Bodnant Garden in North Wales. The other series is Future of Food in which George Allagiah has been looking at the growing global food crisis that could affect us all in years to come. The last of the three programmes is on BBC2 tomorrow evening at 9.00pm.

The art of allotments in the Guardian Gardening Blog during the week made me nod and smile as it describes perfectly the wonderful eccentricities to be seen on allotments.

Happy gardening and watching!