Wednesday 12 June 2013

Beyond the fence ...


Things have been pretty quiet around here in this space but I can prove that I have been far from idle. Last year I made the decision to take back my allotment space that is nestled beyond my back fence. I wrote a post here and talked about my first tentative steps in reclaiming this bit of land again.



It's funny how your memory plays tricks on you, and I can hardly believe that it once looked like the photo above. With a bit of help, I soon had my blank canvas to start playing with again.






Having been generously spread with rather pongy manure and then covered up in tarpaulins overwinter, this spring I started to make my 2-D plans that had been scribbled and sketched in my notebook come to life.




My Dad and I made some triangular beds out of some old used decking that we scavenged from our local nursery and I began to divide the area up in to workable areas.  The triangle beds are for my vegetables and in the photo above from a couple of months ago, there are garlic and broad beans that I had planted in pots in January.

The middle section is for my cutting patch and the section at the bottom, beyond the sweetpea wigwams, is for fruit.

The raspberries that I planted in November have started to show some green and the thought of harvesting some later in the year is about the only thing that is exciting No2 about my latest venture.





The strawberry patch is looking much healthier and promising since this photo too, with flowers abound which can only mean one thing: fruit. I'll be watching like a hawk to see that they don't get eaten before I get to pick them and I have netting at the ready.






Meanwhile in the greenhouse, it has been very full over the last three months and I have just about planted everything out now. I adore growing things from seed. The anticipation and nurturing are all good for the soul. Followed by the sight of germination and the forming of the first true leaves, it is the most satisfying thing I can think of.




There has been much carting about of compost and grit in an effort to try and improve the heavy soil and my wheelbarrow and I are firm friends and almost inseparable!





I even wore out my wellies!






And now it is starting to actually produce things. Radishes are the easiest and quickest of seeds to grow and it's a good thing, because I love them! At the weekend I sowed another half row of beautifully coloured Milano ones.





I'm pretty certain most things are dreadfully late this year, as is the case in my garden (I've never had tulips still flowering in June), but I'm looking forward to broad beans as promised by the gorgeous flowers on my plants.





It has been the perfect project to take me through what feels like an eternal winter and the most miserable of springs. The hours I have spent over there have kept me fit and happy and I can see that it is just going to keep on giving.





8 comments:

  1. It looks wonderful! Well worth all the hard work... just think what lovely things you'll be harvesting :-)
    xx

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  2. oh wow Tracy, your hard work is paying off fabulously! take care of your neck though, with all that wheelbarrowing!

    my veg beds are much further behind, I have some broad beans but no sign of any radishes yet..........

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  3. Wow -- it looks fantastic! It looks like you've been VERY busy -- what a lot of work. I'd do it just for the raspberries alone. And so sad about those darling little wellies. May I suggest, as a replacement, the Hunter wellies with the Union Jack on them LOL?????

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  4. Your wellies are indeed a testament to hard work! And I had to postpone my field trip today, so perhaps it was good fortune that it wasn't the day for you either.

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  5. oh wow, Tracy that is amazing. Double amazing for me ... I wouldn't know which end to hold a shovel!

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  6. Fabulous photos. Your plot looks wonderful!

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  7. Goodness you've been working hard! And I am green with envy thinking of the harvest you're going to be enjoying :)

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  8. Love the new header Tracy and the photos of the allotment starting to take shape are wonderful. I too love growing things from seed but have never had the chance to plant as many as in your greenhouse - looks like you'll be having a wonderful harvest later in the year! Not surprised that you've worn out your wellies with all of the hard work you've put in!

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