I’ve been thinking about tidying up the paths around the vegetable plot for several years. They spawned weeds and it took me as long to weed the paths as it did all the plots. I’m really pleased that the work has now been finished and this whole area is transformed.
This is the end of the season but my carrots, beetroot and parsnips are still in the ground; the runner beans and french beans are producing crops; the last of the potatoes are yet to be lifted and the Cavolo Nero (Kale) will stay in the ground until Christmas.
I’m embarrassingly proud of my vegetables although I can always do better and there are some people I know who do a lot better… onions the size of footballs (slight exaggeration) and carrots a foot long.
I’m pleased to say that I produce enough to feed myself through the summer and often give some away when there’s a surplus.
I’ve also made progress on paper with the garden design. Thrift Landscapes did a garden design for my 70th birthday present and I’ve struggled to get to grips with how to implement it. With a little help from a friend I’ve split the design into phases and found a local nursery that will supply the plants on the list. They won’t be delivered until March which is when the real work begins.
In the meantime parts of the garden continue to flower. I planted four of these Actaea racemosa a year ago and I thought that they were just going to be attractive leaves however they are now producing interesting flowers and are attracting the bees.
They enjoy partial shade so I may move a couple of them along the tree lined walk in the spring. At the moment that area is overrun with Borage so I’m removing that as best I can. Borage has a long tap root and I cannot always get all of the roots out. It’s trying to take over the whole area under the trees.
