Tending....

It is now June and I have been pottering away in my garden for a few months but have yet to share any of my hard work.  I am once again using the biodynamic method as a framework for my gardening, it ensures that the garden does not get neglected as I get distracted by life.  Last year I went away a lot, lots of short trips with the children.  I found it really difficult to get any gardening done as I was either away or preparing to go away.  This year I have reduced the going away to more manageable levels and hope that works, it is all about striving for a balance that I haven't quite found as yet.

My potatoes planted out in April are growing well....

....as is the garlic sown in January.  I thought this would not come up at all as we had such a mild wet winter.  The ground was so waterlogged when I put the cloves in that I thought they would all rot.  It remains to be seen how big they actually grow.

The onions are shooting well and I hope they start swelling soon.  These were sown in seeds trays in April and then planted out in May.  I also sowed some straight into the ground in May too, I wanted to see if the head start made any difference.  It doesn't really look like it has made any difference as the later sown sets appear to have caught up.

Broad and French beans seedlings planted out.  I cleared the last of the leeks to make space for these. A mild winter meant they overwintered well and we will eat those last ones in a soup over the weekend.  It was the best crop of leeks I have ever had.

We seem to have an abundance of strawberry plants in the garden.  They have popped up all over the place, none of the sown.  I assume these are courtesy of the birds, like many plants in my garden.  My youngest has taken over the care of these clump which she checks and weeds daily, reporting back on their progress.  We rarely have enough of a harvest for a meal but they make a great snack, especially for the children.

The chives have now taken up residence in all the cracks on a small patio behind the garage.  They are a mass of flowers at the moment and buzzing with bees.  I rather like their tenacious nature but I might have to keep them in check, just a little, less they try to take over.  You can just make out a marvellous supply of wood in the background, a wood shed full to the brim seasoning for next winter.

The fruit bushes are brimming with supplies for later in the year.  These are enclosed in large cage to keep those pesky birds at bay.

It is not all produce, the lilac is coming to end its beautiful fragrant flowers still filling the garden with their opulence.

The Actinidia kolomitka is starting to display its variegation as the sun catches its leaves.

There is a path through here, the euphorbia and ferns are meeting in the middle....

A blackbird searches for grubs on the green roof, atop our garage/workshop building.

I was delighted to discover two frogs in the garden this week.  A very small one in the polytunnel and this larger one in our wildlife pond, shading itself from the midday sun.  Lets hope they feast on the slugs before they get a chance to rampage through my seedlings!

You can see more pictures from my garden here, on almost the same day last year here when the garden looks a lot less lush, and here.  It is raining here now which means one less job to do today.  I am hoping that the hail forecast for Monday does not materialise!

What are you up to in your garden?  Enjoying the fruits of your labour or relaxing in the sunshine?  That is usually what the children are up to, in a hammock, whilst I am busy tending.....