Blossom

The weather is lovely again, the sun is out and things are starting to grow in the garden. I also now have blossom on my trees. More to the point, not only do I have blossom on my apple trees "Katy" and "Christmas Pippin" but I also have blossom on my Conference pear tree. I am thrilled. The trees have been in the ground for about 3 years now and each year I have had fruit from both the apple trees but I have never even had blossom on my pear tree before in fact, last year, some of the branches went black and broke off and I almost dug it up and chucked it on the compost heap! I'm very glad I didn't, there is loads of blossom this year and I'm very much hoping for a pear or two later in the year.

Delicate creamy Conference pear blossom against the bluest of skies

Beautiful pale pink "Katy" blossom

Gorgeous deep pink Christmas Pippin blossom

I also nipped off to see my friends at the market. It's so nice to see them and I do miss my market stall but giving it up was the right thing to do in order to try and get my knee sorted out. As always, I came away with more than I intended because Bridget always has such lovely plants at such great prices that I can never resist. I bought two beautiful phlox plants for the little rockery that I'm making, a couple of "Gardeners Delight" tomato plants and a couple of "Ambassador"courgette plants to add to my growing stash of plants for this years veg growing attempt.

They joined my lovely sugar snap pea plants sitting patiently on the patio waiting to be planted. I really need to get on with it. Over the weekend I found out all my nice big buckets and pots ready to start potting them on but sadly, I need to wait until pay day to go and stock up on compost because unfortunately, there is no cash in the budget for compost this month. I did also pick up some cut-and-come-again salad leaves from my local supermarket for 99p ..... total bargain ...... they are now also outside enjoying the sunshine in a tray of water so they can have a nice long drink.

And finally, I managed to catch some picture of the cute blue tits collecting the dog and cat fluff to line their nests with. Sooooo cute :-)

Nest Building and My First Veg Plants of the Year

The sun is out, the sky is blue ...... there's a song in there somewhere ..... and the birds in my garden are busy building their nests. This morning I spotted the tiniest wren with a beak so full the poor thing could hardly move and at this time of year I do like to do my bit to help the birds make a lovely soft nest for their chicks so when I brush my animals, I carefully put the soft fur from the brush out on the gate post by the food I put out for them. I wedge it half under a rock to hold it in place and when the birds come to get their breakfast, they usually leave with a beak-full of soft fur to line their nests with. I love watching them. Not a brilliant picture I know but it was very bright this morning and I couldn't see a thing on the screen.

I have also now bought my first veg plants of this year. I have been giving some very careful consideration to what I'm going to grow this year because, as I live on my own, growing things like big lettuces and big cucumbers seems such a waste. I never manage to eat a whole lettuce but I absolutely hate to throw things away. So, I have come to the conclusion that growing things that I can harvest and freeze if there is a glut, like carrots and cabbage and cauli and stuff is fine but things like cucumbers, lettuce and easily perishable things need to be things that I can eat in one or two sittings, better yet, they need to be things that I can pick and eat as I need them.

So here are some of the things I'm hoping to grow this year.

Cut and come again salad leaves. 
Mini cucumbers
Perpetual spinach
Rainbow chard
Sugar snap peas

Dwarf French beans

Lots and Lots of tomatoes

Potatoes

Carrots

Shallots

Cauliflowers

Kale

Beetroot

Courgette

And whatever else I can squeeze into my little raised beds. I also like to grow things in big pots and tubs because I can stand them off the ground and keep some of the evil, plant munching slugs and snails away from them. I would also love to grow things like squashes and pumpkins but I don't really have all that much space so it's not something I have ever grown before. Anyway, here are the first of this years plants ..... some sugar snap peas. 

Will any of you be growing your own veg this year and if so what will you be growing?