Any ideas for how I can store them (jam? freezing) are most welcome.
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Apricots galore
Any ideas for how I can store them (jam? freezing) are most welcome.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
why does it always rain...
I spent so long in the spring preparing the garden for the summer- planting bulbs, weeding, tidying up.
Unfortunately, right now, it's an overgrown wilderness. The grass is totally overgrown and too wet to cut.
There's a mini rainforest of weeds and green that I don't know if I'll ever be able to break through.
There were three new flowers out this week. Here's some pictures of some very (wet) pretty flowers:
I remember this time last year we were sitting outside in glorious sunshine eating apricots straight from the tree. Today we're sitting inside, nearly with the heating on, and every few days I venture outside to pick an apricot off the tree, then run back inside to dry off.
Unfortunately, right now, it's an overgrown wilderness. The grass is totally overgrown and too wet to cut.
There's a mini rainforest of weeds and green that I don't know if I'll ever be able to break through.
There were three new flowers out this week. Here's some pictures of some very (wet) pretty flowers:
Thursday, 2 June 2011
inspiration
As I mentioned before, and from the link above, my inspiration for this writing came from a book. I'm going to quote some of my favourite parts here sometimes.:
I'll start with:
Most garden manuals offer a wide range of horticultural advice. They carry detailed technical instructions about plant propogation, soil acidity and grafting tehchniques, which exercise the left side of the brain.
This blog is not scientific, or should be used as a gardening manual. I don't know what type of soil I have, or the latin names of any of the plants. It's purely here for my personal enjoyment.
I'll start with:
Most garden manuals offer a wide range of horticultural advice. They carry detailed technical instructions about plant propogation, soil acidity and grafting tehchniques, which exercise the left side of the brain.
This blog is not scientific, or should be used as a gardening manual. I don't know what type of soil I have, or the latin names of any of the plants. It's purely here for my personal enjoyment.
photos
Most things growing in the garden were there already - generally anything I try to grow ends up dead.
But this spring, I managed to keep daffodils alive. Here's the evidence:
These pink flowers were all across the west wall when we moved in. I pruned them over the winter and they're so pretty this spring:
These orange flowers appeared beside the pink a few weeks ago - I noticed them one Saturday when I was sitting reading the paper outside. They only appear in the midday sunshine so I only see them at weekends and half-term. Pretty!! I've no idea if these came from some of the seeds I planted or not.
I only discovered this pink bud today: how exciting, more bright colour!
But this spring, I managed to keep daffodils alive. Here's the evidence:
These pink flowers were all across the west wall when we moved in. I pruned them over the winter and they're so pretty this spring:
These orange flowers appeared beside the pink a few weeks ago - I noticed them one Saturday when I was sitting reading the paper outside. They only appear in the midday sunshine so I only see them at weekends and half-term. Pretty!! I've no idea if these came from some of the seeds I planted or not.
I only discovered this pink bud today: how exciting, more bright colour!
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
the basics
OK, since I am at home all week with no money to go anywhere or do anything, I thought I'd take the time to measure the garden, as some readers have requested. It's south facing (I think) 4.5 x 10 metres garden of a terraced house in East London. When we moved in here first (January 2010) it was completely overgrown - brambles creeping all across it, big (ugly) bushes taking over the corners, weeds everywhere.
Slowly, mainly working in the school holidays, we cleared it up. Patio (well, mainly broken up bits of brick) has been mostly cleared of weeds.
Early last spring, we bought a composter. I checked it early this spring, and it wasn't usable yet, but just recently I checked again and it seems the warm spring has changed it. How exciting. I sometimes get obsessed with composting and want to buy this book.
I have also had great interests in: bees, chickens, vegetables, flowers.
So far I have just made it as far as planting flowers. This is a long term project. And I am a lazy gardener.
I use weed killer for the patio - ideally I'd like to only use organic materials, but sometimes weeds just have to be sprayed with something deadly.
Our garden is currently dusty. We try and water the lawn regularly, but the hot weather means the grass is looking yellow and dry. Last weekend I sprinkled more grass seed down but it hasn't started growing yet.
We also suffer from foxes. They come along most nights and make a racket - knocking over plant pots and digging holes.
I've tried leaving a full bottle of water in the garden (apparently they're afraid of this?). One of my year 7 students told me that foxes are also scared off by tiger dung. I haven't managed to get my hands on any tigers nearby yet.
Probably my favourite thing in the garden is the apricot tree. It's actually growing next door, but most of the shady branches cover our garden. I remember last June/July we had a fantastic crop of apricots and I can see them ripening on the branches now again. Last year I didn't get further than eating them all myself, this year I'd like to at least make some jam.
Slowly, mainly working in the school holidays, we cleared it up. Patio (well, mainly broken up bits of brick) has been mostly cleared of weeds.
Early last spring, we bought a composter. I checked it early this spring, and it wasn't usable yet, but just recently I checked again and it seems the warm spring has changed it. How exciting. I sometimes get obsessed with composting and want to buy this book.
I have also had great interests in: bees, chickens, vegetables, flowers.
So far I have just made it as far as planting flowers. This is a long term project. And I am a lazy gardener.
I use weed killer for the patio - ideally I'd like to only use organic materials, but sometimes weeds just have to be sprayed with something deadly.
Our garden is currently dusty. We try and water the lawn regularly, but the hot weather means the grass is looking yellow and dry. Last weekend I sprinkled more grass seed down but it hasn't started growing yet.
We also suffer from foxes. They come along most nights and make a racket - knocking over plant pots and digging holes.
I've tried leaving a full bottle of water in the garden (apparently they're afraid of this?). One of my year 7 students told me that foxes are also scared off by tiger dung. I haven't managed to get my hands on any tigers nearby yet.
Probably my favourite thing in the garden is the apricot tree. It's actually growing next door, but most of the shady branches cover our garden. I remember last June/July we had a fantastic crop of apricots and I can see them ripening on the branches now again. Last year I didn't get further than eating them all myself, this year I'd like to at least make some jam.
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