A garden bathed in sunshine is loaded with potential, unleashing our creativity. The hard work from us and the worms during winter and spring is paying off as our community garden/s are bursting with life.
With us now being very organised gardeners, all things gardening starts with writing up what need’s to be done and has been completed in our specially acquired gardening dairy.
As I hinted, we are on to it this year.
The notes assist the Squire, who has started planting seeds at the Community Garden shade house. Other gardeners do so regularly, an economical way of having a regular source of our favourite vegetables. We’re keeping the seed-raising task simple at the start by choosing to do just two vegetables this month: lettuce and beetroot. Other seeds are at hand once the Squire has got into the swing of all things to do with seed production. He’s doing a splendid job which is not surprising as he’s been gardening on and off since he was knee-high to a grasshopper.
The Weather
As I write this post, the weather has turned. It’s sunny and warm; the sky is blue, and the cicadas are singing. Now that is the kind of summer we have been looking forward to because it’s mid-January.
Though not long ago, during late December and early January, the weather had been anything but regular with the sunshine, which led to grumpily regular discussions with most folk, especially gardeners. Beside the growing beans, there have been numerous conversations regarding climate change to the annoyance of yet more rain on the horizon. Some locals question whether we have started or restarted summer due to the deluge of rain and wind, which signals the beginning of the cyclone season.
Greens anyone?
Gloomy weather aside, it’s still here, summer, and we are happy to report that most things in the garden are handling the mix of weather quite nicely. Those vegetables that have rewarded us with abundance are spinach, silverbeet, beetroot, lettuce, beans and herbs such as basil. Except for the tomatoes, though, that subject is not to be mentioned as we are still in the throes of disappointment, if not disillusioned, to the point that we considered not bothering again. What a thought to have as a summer garden without tomatoes isn’t a summer garden at all.
Life at No. 22 
As its winter here in Mid Wales, it’s a joy to see the summer greens of your garden!
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The greens are doing so well as this summer has been extremely wet and humid. A challenging time for many especially those further north of us. Spring will be arriving soon for you and all those gorgeous spring flowers.
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All looking really good! Even the tomatoes, though i read your answer to jo and got the problem.
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Thanks Anabel and I am sure next spring/summer will have more favourable conditions for tomatoes. Luckily we love a good challenge.
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It’s a good idea to keep notes, I have dozens all over the place and need to consolidate them, however my blog is very useful to see what was happening when. I’m not so good on the edibles, though will give tomatoes and chilies another go this year. And I do like my herbs, though basil is tricky. Nice that you and the Squire have found a friendly community and working in the soil is good for the spirit as well as harvesting fresh food.
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It is fun gardening with other people who have various ideas on what they like to grow. Always open to learning. Working in the soil is therapeutic for both of us. Not long before you’re busy in your garden.
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I’m busy cutting back stuff already when the weather is good, but there is a lot to get done this year.
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I enjoy working outdoors when the weather is cooler. I look less like a beetroot with legs 😉
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I know that look!
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Sounds like all your efforts are really paying off (with the exception of the tomatoes, but you can’t win them all!) I love your flowers with the raindrops and all your produce looks so healthy and tempting. The basil just shouts of summer and is a welcome sight on a grey winter’s day in London 🍃
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We have a rose garden across the road which is lovely to visit for a dose of rose scent. Basil does shout out summer and we love it especially when I make a pesto with it. We are certainly getting a few more grey days this summer, though still reasonably warm. Easier to exercise when the temperatures aren’t so hot.
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Send a bit of that warmth in this direction please!
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Perhaps you may want to rethink that request as our sunshine is a tad watery at the moment.
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Good work in the circumstances
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The weather is never right for gardeners. Last summer we had no rain for over 2 months and temperatures in the high 20s. The aubergines and tomatoes loved it, but just about everything else was unhappy. Other years have been so wet and cold that the tomatoes rotted, but the beetroot and the spinach romped away.
I’m glad you’re having fun with your plot.
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Thanks April. Yes, I remember the hot days we had while housesitting in the UK. The extreme temperatures around the world are a worry. I am so pleased not to own our small orchard as trying to grow things now seems more stressful. At least with the plot if it becomes too much for us or we’re not able to be there due to Les’s health then we can give it up. Our beetroot and spinach loved the wet weather and it was the best beetroot we have grown for a while.
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A very impressive variety of vegetables. Your hard work and your husband’s hard work have been rewarded. Don’t give up on tomatoes, though!
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I doubt if we will give up on the tomatoes as I wrote summer salads wouldn’t be the same and supermarket ones just aren’t the best.
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love this. I’m son of an avid gardener, at times that interest has made it down to me…we once lived a place where I had 2 huge gardens and 6 fruit trees that kept me in our yard almost all the time, with what I called my weapons of mass distruction/gardening tools….I’ve slacked off a bit, but, well….yeah, I’m now trying raised gardening…
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Thanks for commenting and what I love about gardening is the relaxing effect it has on us with the benefit of yummy produce. Both of us have luckily inherited our love of growing things. We once owned a small orchard which was hard work though we’re pleased to see that the olive trees are still being harvested. Raised garden beds are wonderful especially for aging backs. Happy gardening.
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and I had the best sun tan ever!…..best memory is family friends visiting and their kids eating real food like it was candy..and my daughter biting the ends off of tomatoes ans sucking the juice out..now she hates tomatoes, go figure
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Kids always have the ability to astound adults even when they aren’t kids any longer 😉 So I have been told on numerous occasions. Our sun is far too harsh [high UV rays] to sunbathe.
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Your pictures make me yearn for our summer! There is nothing quite like a freshly picked tomato.
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You’re right, Janis, nothing like a freshly picked tomato. My grandfather and father in law grew amazingly tasty tomatoes which we haven’t mastered yet. More hot dry days or perhaps the perfect weather with a balance of sun, rain and wind. Dreaming costs nothing but time.
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The tomatoes look good in the photo 🤔💖 and everything else looks wonderfully healthy. Huge satisfaction and a nice bit of company for the Squire 🤗💗
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Yes, the tomatoes were looking good then the humidity hit and the smaller birds were getting through the end bean mesh. We had a fight on with who was going to get the red tomatoes – the birds won most of the time. The garden is full of worms and even with challenging weather we are rewarded with greens. The big bonus is the added conversations with other gardeners.
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Ah, well … you fed the birds 🐦 🤣
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You know who is slicing one on top of homemade hummus on bread as I write this – the birds didn’t win that one 😉
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👌❤️
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