Year 3 of the garden

This is the 3rd year I've worked on the garden. When I first started a friend told me that it will take at least 3 years before I get to the point where I can see the fruits of my labours and not to be discouraged. How right he is, it's been hard graft but yes, I've now reached the point where I can see a bit of the cottage garden feel that I was aiming for. I have to say all the hard work is really worth it when I get to sit on the bench and just enjoy the garden with a cup of coffee, taking in the peace it offers from the busy everyday life that tends to get in the way.

The corner bed

The dreaded wind swept corner where most things I plant seem to die, is finally sorted and is now a much loved area of the garden.

I've also added a new bed on the other side of the garden that has taken on really well. It has given me the space to try out some new plants.

For those who know my family, you'd have thought that this interest in the garden might have come from my grandfather who grew lots of plants, particularly bougainvilleas dotted all around the house. I remember going round with him with his homemade watering cans made from recycled milk tins with holes punched into them to create a sprinkle effect.

The truth is, it's my grandmother who awed me with her little garden, hidden at the side of the house where the kitchen window looks out on. It's a tiny little space where she planted sugar canes, pandan (screw pine) and there were also a small variety of little plants planted in all manner of recycled containers like old metal basins etc. I still remember clearly the day when she took a knife and chopped off a sugarcane, cut it into two and gave me a 'stick' to eat. That was the moment when I took real notice of her little garden full of wonder and that was when a seed was planted in me to one day own a garden and look after it as she has done hers.

The new bed

 

The first courgette .. harvested

Without my noticing the courgettes are growing in size and one at the bottom has grown large enough to eat. I think if I left it, it would have grown bigger but as it was at the bottom and touching the ground, it would probably have started to rot. So the one courgette was kept company with some other vegetables from the fridge and made into a delicious soup for dinner. Will definitely be planting more next year.

More coming...

Size compared to my hand

Made into tasty soup with other veg

 

 

 

Of bees and butterflies

In recent years, there's been concern that the bees are dying in the UK. Since we've moved in, we do see some bees during the summer season but not in large numbers. This year, coincidently when I decided to sort out my garden scheme and get more flowers in, we have had quite a large number of bees turn up. I'm just happy to see them and if my growing more flowers helps them keep up their population up then I'm glad to have helped.

As for the butterflies, I get quite a lot of cabbage white, though pretty, they are not welcomed as their eggs turn into caterpillars of the variety partial to broccoli and cabbages both of which I grow. Since these veges are meant for consumption, I was not going to spray any insecticide on them and have to resort to squishing the eggs sacs and even caterpillars by hand...not a pleasant feeling! This year however, I've not seen any cabbage white (maybe because I've not grown any cabbages) but instead got another variety of butterflies which looked real pretty and best of all they only like my inedible plants and therefore they too are more than welcome to enjoy my garden.

 

 

 

 

 

How many bees and butterflies can you see here?