A good boast at 24a; weeds out - plants in

Okay, okay, I was a bit ranty in the last post, sorry. Sometimes I think you just need to get some issues off your chest and I feel much better and much more positive now, so thank you for indulging me.

I am going to be much more cheerful this time as I have happy photos and good raves about 24a (don't talk to me about 14b, that is being tackled tomorrow!) After a bad start to the year things really do seem to have caught up and the plot is filling up rather nicely thank you :) I'll start off with the fruit arch (cause I am super duper proud of it) at the bottom of the plot. Oh my lordy! the trees are doing so well this year, I think they have finally established and we have apples, pears and for the very first time, plums all set and growing!!! I hope we actually get some of each, it's been an impatient wait so far. The arch is now covered and if we ever get a really sunny day ever again, this is where you'll find me, in the shade - pale and interesting is the look I'm going for (I simply do not tan!)

And up beside the fruit arch is the Summer Raspberry patch - oh my, they are so heavy with fruit, though not one is ripe yet... I'm tapping my toe waiting.. however they are incrediblly healthy and a metre away there are new plants growing in the main path which I had to rip out - they're like a weeds those plants! They and the Blueberries growing behind them are going to have to be made bird proof - I am not sharing them this year again, in fact I blasted well didn't get 1 blueberry the past 2 years, grrrr.

The Cherry tree  ('Stella') has loads of fruit this year too. It did last year though to be fair and then it all got a bit too warm one day and they all fell off, to say I was disappointed is an understatement, I remember just standing there staring at the ground with my heart in my throat (honestly, it's daft but I was tearing up). I am trying not to get too excited but it's really hard - for goodness sake I have a Cherry Blossom Tattoo, my photography bussiness is called Cherry Blossom Tattoo - I bloomin' love all things Cherry! (apart from Cherry Coke but that's just because I hate Coke)...

The Garlic!!! Happy??? Heck yeah! This time last year it was looking good but there was rust, this time, no rust!! They just keep getting better and better - 'Gault's Wight' I call them, but then I am a total geek :p (This photo is almost a month old now - they look so fabulous now, I can't believe I forgot to take a pic!)

We (and by that I mean Andrew) had a terrible time trying to get Sweetcorn to germinate this year but in the end we have enough and have planted them out 2 sister style ~ Sweetcorn and Squash (under plastic bottle cloches) together as is our way :) Fingers crossed, I do adore corn on the cob. There is going to be a huge squash bed over in 14b as usual but I'll talk about that some other time.

Spuds are still doing great - we had to keep the fleece at hand though but this weather is so messed up but if the earlies I dug up last weekend are anything to go by, we should have a great crop (I'm pretty sure they're 'Sharp's Express' here). We also have second earlies in too ('Estima') - looking healthy.

I thought this was interesting...on the left are leeks that were sown in March, on the right ones that were sown in April - can you see a difference?? If anything the newer ones are stronger and a richer, deeper green colour - just goes to show, you shouldn't worry about getting everything planted, nature will catch up, she has her own rules!

Well my lovelies apart from all that there are great hanging bunches of redcurrants on every plant, little healthy rows of turnips and parnsips and lovely looking lettuces and spring onions. Just don't mention carrots to us, it's a touchy subject......

I think I have waffled and boasted enough - I'm off for a nap :) xxxx

Petite Brunette seeks free (organic) weedkiller, bug killer and blow torches!!!

I didn't order this weather!! What the heck is going on? It's raining, grey, blowy and darn right miserable out there, plus I have a blanket wrapped round me to help me feel cosy, it's JUNE! I have been trying to figure out what the word is that I have been looking for and I have it now....I am irked, blasted well irked.

So in the vain of this irk-y feeling I am going to moan, oh yes my friend, it is time to get something off my chest.

As I shared (with fanfare), we are now into our 5th season on the Lottie and all is going quiet well for the Gaults. But there is something that has been annoying me for quite some time now, something that has been getting up my nose, under my skin and rubbing me up the wrong way... THIS! >> There are so many people that have seemingly become bored with their soil 'toy' after so long and have let their plots go to gardening Hell!! To be honest I am fuming, really rather red in the face and though a non-violent person I could happily smack some butts!

Look at these examples, only the ones that surround our own plot! There is a waiting list for crying out loud and people have these in this state! ARRRGHHHHH. I know that any reader of my blog will be angry too and I thank you for your collective empathy for my present state.

We are naturally getting all the weeds of the day on our plots because of these plots and my hayfever (which up til now has been in check) is going mad with all this grass that has just been left to go to seed. I feel like getting tape from the Police and cordoning off these plots as crime scenes!

If that wasn't bad enough the green fly and aphids have returned in force. Yes I could squish them betwixt my fingers but seriously, with this many on one rose, it would be a green goo bath and I am just not strong enough in the tummy for that. Plus, there are no worms, none and only a smattering of ladybirds - they have abandoned us, left us to fight for ourselves and oh, woe is me!!

the Honeysuckle was sprayed with something - look how pretty it is now though!

There I feel much lighter for getting all that off my chest. I have so much to tell you about or wonderful plants that I could burst but patience my darlings, patience....For now let me show you the baby potatoes I dug up on Monday. These came from a couple of left over plants we had plonked in the ground whilst we waited for the Strawberries to come; now they're here was Goodbye spud plants and Hello tummy :)

Boiled and crushed with added homegrown garlic and peas - yummy!

Excuse me! - here's a real reason to party ;)

Lordy! 2012 is a huge year for the UK and at the moment it's all about the Queen's Jubilee; 60 years on the Throne deserves recognition and I am loving the extra long Bank Holiday ;) Soon it will be all about the London Olympics and the world will be glued to their TV sets, including me at times. BUT there is a big reason, a huge reason to celebrate and that is this......

.....we are into our 5th Allotmenteering Season!

Happy Allotment Birthday to 24a!

I just wanted to log on this evening and say a huge, massive thank you to each and every one of you who has followed our story so far. We have so much more to explore; Mother Nature has so much more to teach us and I personally have a lot more growth ahead of me. It gives me great pleasure and strength to think that you will join me and hopefully continue to leave comments. I can truly say that writing this blog and documenting the progress we have made has been life changing and I am rather excited to see what happens next.....

So in the spirit of celebration and in a sense, a bit of a deep and thoughtful reflection I have upgraded the whole kit and caboodle and I hope you like it. I love you all - I mean that from the bottom of my heart xx

The Garden Show Ireland

Saturday saw the Gaults head off to their first ever visit to the Hillsborough Garden Show (shame on us, I know!). It all started off a little bit oddly - we were directed to and parked at the old Maze prison, not somewhere I ever thought I would visit. That's for sure! But it all made sense, fear not, no evil dictator was using the show as a ruse to imprison those of us who love to grow plants, it was merely a very clever park and ride system and the site is huge so it was nice to see it used for a peaceful reason. I mean really you can't get more peaceful than a bunch of paying customers wanting to go spend time looking at pretty flowers ;)

Part that hasn't been demolished is in the background

I'd never been to Hillsborough Castle's Gardens before - this is secret territory to me, reserved for the Queen etc. On arrival I was so pleasantly surprised, there were lots of pleasant people, loads of plants, a Jazz band, a champagne tent, food stalls and lots of promise. The walled garden was a delight, I loved the old out buildings, greenhouses huge ancient tree, espaliered pears and row of Scarecrows.

The floral tent was small but some set ups were truly lovely and inspring. My love for Hucheracas is now fully fledged and we are getting some for the garden. Just look how gorgeous they are with white or the fun mix of purple and orange/yellow :)

We're also thinking of a small water feature - eek! I love it.

This garden ticked most of my boxes - I love 'The Hobbit' but still, there was something just so small and lacking in it, space is not abundant I guess. Nevertheless I would have this in my back garden :) Though the child that didn't know what a typewriter was - you can keep her, I felt so ancient and decrepit around her, ahahaha

This show garden was my favourite, still small but the rill and criss crossing path are a delight. However, the more I look at it the more twee it appears and I HATE foxgloves but still - the idea is lovely.....

The other show gardens were at the most, umm disappointing. Particularly the Biodiversity one (sorry) - it was so undeveloped as a concept and looked frankly pitiful - in no way would it encourage anyone to try and replicate the look and thus the fabulous idea behind it all is lost. I am almost too upset to put this photo up but here goes.....

There were craft stalls but again, just like the one I was at as a Trader myself, it was superfluous and we weren't in the mood for such things, no matter the quality. God, it makes me feel terrible to say that, truly awful as I know the feeling of people ignoring you and all your effort but as a customer, no, it wasn't appropriate. Apart from the sweeties  and flavoured nuts- they went down a treat with most people, including Andrew :)

These stalls were appropriate though, very much so! Local organic fruit and veg boxes, Armagh Cider and Apple juice made in entirety from tree to bottle on site by a family! (we came home with 3 bottles) and lots of jams and chutneys.

I did enjoy myself and the ultimate highlight had to be the goats and chickens.

tiny Kid - just bigger than a bucket

Super tiny chick hiding under Mommy

Low points were many. As well as the ones already mentioned there was a whole row of small Titanic themed gardens which to be fair,  were done by children, large areas of the sites flower beds being empty and the interpretive dancers (I am a tree so tall, I am an allotment....). I'm obviously just not cultured enough.

So I had hoped to be really inspired and maybe even get a maximum/minimum thermometer but instead I'm left with the memory of the good organisation and the good manners of everyone there - so it was kind of odd. I doubt I will be back.

A happy explosion of growth at the lotties

Though I wasn't at the lottie too long on Tuesday (it's still blasted well cold here!), I did run around like a huge friendly burglar with my camera, capturing hope filled photos; bundling them up in my swag bag and running off home to enjoy and share :)

So here my lovely partners in hope pilfering (a new classification of crime, haha), I share.....

So many Blueberry flowers

Cherry Blossom and some tiny fruits

Garlic

potatoes doing well but we still need fleece on hand for frosty nights

peas being planted

baby broad bean



first green gooseberries

the mint plant that never dies :)

first red gooseberries

so many redcurrant flowers

just a little of the Jersualuem Artichoke plants

Honeysuckle

tiny alpine flowers - such joy

succulent and babies

Baby Scallions

Baby lettuce






Hope you like it - I am finding these photos and a few new ones of Andrew's potting shed seedlings quite uplifting - especially as there were many that Andrew feared weren't going to do anything and now they're flourishing. I'll post more photos but as for tonight - I am being looked at by a lovely bottle of Red Wine - yum ;)

And tomorrow we are off to the Garden Ireland Show - hurrah - first time for us :)

Andrew goes Potty

Oh oh, Andrew has gone and got himself a 'man shed' and plonked it in the drive and now he goes there for special Andrew time. It's a potting shed with 6 windows (3 each side) that was designed just for him by a talented local shed maker and delivered a couple of weeks ago - but it's his thing so I wasn't going to share it with you until he was ready. Now it's got lovely shelves inside and stuff growing in it :)

Actually when I look at these photos it looks better now than just a few days ago - there are more seedlings growing big and tall so I guess I shall ask for an invite to take more photos. I am also going to make him a sign for the door, hahaha

'NO GIRLS ALLOWED'

Hold on a wee minute until I get my facts straight.....
* it is 7x5 ft
* it is weatherboard/shiplap NOT the inferior outlapping construction
* it is slow grown Scandinavian pine
* pitched roof covered with felt
* 2 air vents have been added by Andrew himself.

Lovely........

seeds in your noggin'

I'm a huge fan of the Brave Girls Club and in particular their 'daily truths' which I get sent to my Blackberry. Today's truth struck a chord and I decided I would share a little of it, please remember that these perfect words aren't mine, oh that they were....

..'Your mind is like a fertile garden and it will grow and grow and grow whatever is allowed to be planted there. Plant seeds of beautiful truth, endless potential, optimisim, beauty and gratitude.....if you plant those things thickly enough they will choke out all the weeds'...

Maybe it's a bit cheesy, maybe it's childish but I like it.

It's MAY !!

Happy Glorious Magical Brilliant Blissful Productive Magnificent May!!

I LOVE May - it is a Month of growth, of new life and (hopefully)sunnier days. It's when the broad beans start to go mad and scramble up their supports, the early potatoes poke through with a friendly green 'hello' of foliage, the blossoms turn into tiny fruit buds - eek!, all the seeds start their journey from dormant seed to flourishing plant with delicious edibles, Maggie gets a hop in her step, the birds are nesting, the roses and honeysuckle burst forth. Ohhh it's tingle time!! Plus all this, so much to celebrate to remember and to share... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May

May is going to be fabulous darling! Think it and it shall be so. I'll be with you all the way sharing the stories of the lottie and other such stuff as comes into my noggin'. But for now, revel in the wonder and come dance round the Maypole of life with me...