Sunday 14 June 2009

The back-seat gardener.











The farmer is a keen vegetable -gardener - or rather, he is a keen fresh vegetable -eater, so makes the time to garden so that he can just stroll down and cut the veggies in time for lunch. I used to love helping him but now find the effort too much, so my role is to "advise" (hence the title of this piece)!




The veggies are all in the ground - the seeds, the plants grown from seed - and they are growing well. We have had plenty of sunshine and plenty of water - perfect growing conditions. So far he has managed to keep top side of the weeds by going round with the hoe every two or three days. I have put a photograph from each corner of the garden. It is bounded either by a building, a hedge or a wall. You can see the building (painted black). It shelters the top third of the garden from the sun for a large part of the day. The soil is fairly heavy clay.




In spite of the title (a joke really) I have put this on in praise of the farmer, for I have to say the garden looks a picture. The gooseberries are almost ready for picking, the strawberries and raspberries are well formed and beginning to swell and the lettuce is delicious. In the greenhouse (lots of glass missing, as it catches the wind) we grow only potatoes in boxes - last year was the first year we had tried it and they were very successful (slugs kept at bay) so we are doing it again.




Hope you enjoy the photographs.

24 comments:

Maggi said...

You look like you are going to have plenty to eat this year. I used to have an allotment and there is nothing like going out and bringing in fresh produce striaght to the table.

Arija said...

You certainly have a lovely veggie patch and how pleasant only to be an advisor.

I had to smile at your comment of my flowers, I was sure you would recognise roses and sweet peas, the Hakea is a stranger to Europe but Belladonnas certainly aren't.

Elizabeth said...

Gooseberry fool!!!
You must make it.
Extreme jealousy from this side of the Atlantic.
Yes to MUG MONDAY.
Just mugs or teacups too
or would that be another post entirely?

Reader Wil said...

It's a marvellous garden! And a tribute to your husband and his efforts to create a healthy environment. My dad was like that. He had a large kitchen garden and when he was at sea we had to look after it.

Travis Erwin said...

My wife wanted a garden badly this year but we simply had too much going. maybe next year.

Welcome To Wilmoth Farms said...

Sorry I havent been by sooner, but then you know I've been off the computer a lot lately...so it was good to catch up. I have to tell you - you take some beautiful photographs! I always love looking at your pictures and where you live, truly beautiful! Your garden looks awesome!!! Isnt it fun to watch it grow! I need to get out with the hoe today too, since I sucked up a tomato cage in my tiller, by hand will be the way its done until my own farmer has a minute to untangle the mess.

Pat Posner said...

What a fantastic garden, Weaver.
You must make gooseberry and elderflower jam.

xxPat
licks to your T from my T&T

The Weaver of Grass said...

Agreed maggi - we have to have an extra freezer on in Summer otherwise we can't keep pace.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Arija - didn't recognise any of them!! And I have a row of sweet peas myself.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Elizabeth - gooseberry fool will be high on the menu for the next few weeks you can rest assured.
Glad you will join in mug monday next week - hope some of your bloggy friends will too.

The Weaver of Grass said...

To everyone. The farmer has just looked at the photos I took and also at your replies. A little bit of praise is good for him - he was very chuffed.

Heather said...

Please convey my congratulations to the farmer - his vegetable and fruit garden is splendid and most enviable. I am sure your advice is greatly appreciated!!

Grizz………… said...

Great looking garden! Wish I had a garden spot here by the river, but it's mostly deep shade.

My vote is for gooseberry pie. One of my all-time favorites!

Mistlethrush said...

Very neat and pleasant garden - must take lots of time and effort. Mine's very low maintenance - has to be. But I'm planning a raised bed for herbs and lettuce which should be built in a couple of weeks - a bit late I know!
Maybe someone could advise me what to plant. Garlic would be good I must have some rosemary and chives.

gleaner said...

I love looking at home vegetable gardens so I had to click your pictures to get a closer look - absolutely beaut gardens.

EB said...

That does look good! I don't know any other farmers who have the energy left to grow vegetables, so I'm all the more impressed.

Hildred said...

How lucky you are to have such a fabulous farmer who loves fresh veggies and has the hoe and the energy to go with it all!!! I'm sure you cherish him.

Amy said...

You know what? I normally love winter but I'm looking forward to spring in September so I can plant new vegetable seeds in my garden especially pumpkin and butternut - yum!

thousandflower said...

Your vegetable garden is lovely.

Crafty Green Poet said...

It looks lovely! I've just planted some salad things in a tub.

Anonymous said...

Ooooo..it looks like something straight out of the Peter Rabbit story. Your garden looks wonderful! Congratulations to the farmer. I'm sure if I enlarged your pictures I'd find a little blue coat left somewhere.How wonderful your husband takes the time and energy to nurture this so that you have such fresh and healthy food.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Scribe - I am making my first gooseberry pie this coming weekend (the farmer's birthday) - when I cut a slice I shall think of you.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Mistlethrush - what about rocket - I make rocket pesto for pasta (handful of rocket, handful of pine nuts and glugs of olive oil - whizzed in processor) - don't let it to seed though or it will take over, I also use masses of parsley as garnish - and thyme too.

Loren said...

Ooh, gooseberry pie is one of my very favorite pies, perhaps because it's virtually impossible to find them in the United States unless you grow them yourself.

I envy your huge garden. I had one most of my life but when I moved to the city I couldn't afford any of the large yards we found.