"Spring is a season of the soul to regain its strength.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita
It was the Big Dig day on the 27th. When communities are encouraged to go out and grow things. So we decided to use this as the day for our first plant sale in the garden as well as a day for telling people about the garden, giving away free seeds and getting them involved. Unfortunately it was a very stormy day with strong winds and torrential rain. So we didn’t get into the garden at all. Instead we worked in the Studio, ate lots of cake and still had a good time.
We are planning other plant sale and activity days though. There’s quite a collection of plants to sell. Some donated, some cuttings, some grown from seed. And we have seeds and dried bay leaves for people to try and sunflower seeds to grow at home too. So look out for our next activity in May, which of course will be lovely and sunny…….
In an earlier blog I mentioned that our asparagus had come up. But that were weren’t to cut it this year as it needed another year to be established. Well I went into the garden last weekend and found some had grown to over two foot high. Amazing. The temptation to try it was too great though, and I cut a couple of spears. It was lovely to eat asparagus with butter only half hour after being cut. As there was so much, I made some asparagus soup for lunch too.
Seeds and seedlings have been planted in the veg garden too. So far some multi-coloured carrots, a courgette, runner beans, peas, French beans, spring onions and beetroot. Let’s hope they survive the storm, and we get the right balance of sun and rain to make them grow.
There still seems to be a lot of ladybirds around, particularly on the more aromatic plants, like herbs. They can eat up to 5,000 aphids in a lifetime, although it’s the ladybird larvae that eats the most. There are so many different types too, with different spot patterns and colours. I have put a spotter sheet in the garden so you can identify them.
Just to give you advanced notice for next month. Tradition says that if you wash your face in the dew before sunrise on 1st May you will have a flawless complexion all year. So I expect to see lots of fresh faced Bloomers this year. I think I will need a lot of dew!
Blooming Old Gardener
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