<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/caitlinstevejul16.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3721" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/caitlinstevejul16-300x225.jpg" alt="caitlin&amp;steve(jul16)" width="300" height="225" /></a>A few months after Jane died I was talking about how to make the garden easier to manage and the prospect of doing anything in the garden filled me with dread. It was always Jane's area of expertise and although happy to assist I never took the lead. My view has changed completely.

I totally enjoyed helping with Caitlin's RHS Gold garden and overjoyed at her winning Young Garden Designer. This week we start the rebuild at St Barnabas, Louth in Jane's memory.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/salad-cropjul16.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3720" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/salad-cropjul16-200x150.jpg" alt="salad-crop(jul16)" width="200" height="150" /></a>My own garden is challenging especially when I initially thought it was under control despite being away for 4 weeks but once I got in amongst the plants I can see there's a lot of catching up to do - weeds abound and dead-heading is a must. The vegetable plot is suddenly coming into it's own with unstoppable amounts of lettuce and I've even got delicious cucumbers. Yes, I do have failures - Sultana french bean climber has struggled and those that are still alive are only 5 cms tall; the sweet corn plants are stunted; and the carrots haven't germinated in large numbers. Despite the failures I'm enjoying the challenges and making plans for next year. I just wish I could remember the names of plants - I can be told several times in a day but it goes in one ear and out the other; starting to worry about dementia.

<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/salad-dinner1jul16.jpg"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-3719" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/salad-dinner1jul16-200x150.jpg" alt="salad-dinner1(jul16)" width="200" height="150" /></a>Of course the true test of growing your own is in the eating. Another salad made up of three varieties of lettuce, Jane's pickled beetroot from last year and my own cucumber. Tomatoes are on their way but it will be a few weeks before they ripen.