Flighty's plot

Early last year I was given some gladioli corms which I later planted out in several groups.  They grew and flowered but I decided that they were in the wrong places so last autumn I lifted, dried and stored them. I then completely forgot about them so they never got replanted this year! However I obviously overlooked one group as recently several have reappeared including these two magnificent tall white onesLater on I shall dig these up and store them with the others that I’ve since found.  All I’ll have to do is remember to plant my glads out next spring!

I intended growing tomatoes this year but never got round to sowing the packet of seeds that I had.  I did buy two Gardener’s Delight plants at the hut and eventually planted them out.  They were joined by two bush plants that Joe kindly gave me.  I then did nothing…no watering, feeding, pinching out or weeding!  All very remiss of me I know so imagine my surprise this week when I found that they all have fruit on them. This is one of the Gardener’s Delights and this is one of the bush plantsI’ll let you know if I actually end up with any edible red fruits.

I really like tomatoes so next year I will grow some, probably Red Alert which has been recommended to me as being one of the best outdoor bush varieties to grow with superb tasting small toms.

There were lots of white butterflies flutttering around the allotments last week. The only problem being that few actually landed on the plot and despite several determined attempts this was the only photo I got of one

Last week I lifted over 50 onions for drying and storingThey range in size from a golfball to a tennis ball and will keep me going to at least the end of the year.

I dug up the last of the Kestrel potatoes which I’ve been eating all month. They’re nice but some are rather on the small side That’s a 5p coin which is 3/4″ or 20mm diameter! Anyway only kidding as most are a regular size with a few big ones like this

The carrots Little Fingers are crunchy and taste good  straight out the ground

On the down side something has devoured my second sowing of lettuce ButtercrunchThankfully I’m not that fussed as I much prefer the Lollo Rosa which has survived untouched for me to have in my salads.

There’s also been plenty of red beetroot Cylindra, raddishes French Breakfast and spring onions Summer isle. John kindly gave a good sized cucumber,  and I’ve been enjoying the rhubarb that Brian and Joe  both keep telling me to help myself to.

The  blackberries are starting  to ripen and are delicious. If I can stop eating them  as I pick them then I’ll bring some home to have with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream.

It really has given me a great deal of pleasure to sow, grow, harvest and then eat these various vegetables, and hopefully there’s still plenty more to come!

For some friends,  including Daffy and Midwife’s Muse,  it’s not been a good week so I thought that I’d do a post on the flower that is seen on many allotments,  and which surely brings a smile to anyone seeing them.

This is a giant single but it’s barely 3 feet high with a flower no bigger than a saucer!

Perhaps it feels somewhat overshadowed by this onewhich is close by on George’s neighbouring plot being well over 6 feet tall with a dustin lid sized flower!

Back on my plot there are several of the smaller multi-headed varieties such as Autumn Beautyand Pastiche

I think that this is another lovely looking sunflower just over the path on George’s plot but is facing mine!

I love them all and as well as growing the familiar giant singlesagain next year I will also be sowing the wonderful looking variety Vanilla Ice which Beginninghere very kindly sent to me some months back but which I didn’t use this year.

This morning I was standing on the path checking the camera before taking a photo of the blackberries when I realised that this young robin was on the other side of the compost bin

It then moved over to this side onto my gloves

Then it came closer still to perch on top of the nut feeder.  I really couldn’t believe that it was less than an arm’s length away and held my breath as I very slowly took these photos

The Rose by Dorothy McGregor

Heaven scent rose

A rambling radiance

On rose bush and climber

Exquisite roseBlooming in Heaven’s heartland and

Dewed with the summer rains.

Hues of shell,  cerise,  crimson and yellow

And a white rose innocence

Bright as day

Yours is enchantment

Summer rose,  fair rose.

I’ve not spent anywhere near as much time on the plot as I would have liked over the past few weeks due to various reasons. That’s meant that the flower area in particular has become a jungle of  mostly grasses and weeds. It’s great for the wildlife but not surprisingly my plot neighbours are less happy, although they do appreciate why it’s got overgrown and know that I will sort it out!

Where I’ve harvested my early potatoes I’m going to dig it over and sow some green manures Buckwheat which according to the packet is deep rooting to break up subsoils and makes a lot of growth to increase humus content.

In the area where I pulled up the broad beans I’m now going to sow six quick growing oriental crops – Chinese Broccoli Kailaan,  Chinese Cabbage Green Rocket F1,  Choy Sum Tsai Hsin,  Pak Choi Tatsoi Tah Tsai,  Radish China Rose and Mustard Leaf Osaka Purple.

On Thursday I pulled the first few carrots which were crunchy and rather tasty, and some spring onions!

I was also pleased to see the first sunflower

and these two pot marigolds Art Shades(?)

There were lots of butterflies fluttering around but this Meadow Brown was the only one that settled long enough for me to get a photo of

Georgie very kindly sent me some seeds recently including what she thought at the time were yellow pansies but which she now says are like this! If so then I’ll be delighted as that is a really lovely looking flower.

Happy gardening!

The Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris) is a perennial native wild-flower. The flowers have  darker stripes that act as nectar guides for visiting bees.

There are two on the plot which are covered in flowers as you can see on my new header picture and in this one