It’s been a very hectic but pretty perfect weekend for me, I headed back down to Hampshire on Friday afternoon to spend some time with my family and it all started with a barbeque. On Saturday me and my parents went off to the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show which was simply amazing and then on Sunday the whole family went on a fruit picking adventure down at our local pick your own farm before the 4 hour drive back to Wales… Blog posts will follow shortly once I catch up with things I promise!
Whilst I was back in Hampshire I desperately wanted to check up on the allotment, I miss it so much when I’m in Wales. So I woke up extra early on Sunday and popped down to Plot 15c for a few hours before it got too hot. I seriously can’t explain how happy I felt when I walked through my gate, the sun was shining beautifully, flowers were blooming with bees happily buzzing around and everything looked so green and lush.
The plan this morning was to get my little flower seedlings planted out after they’ve been patiently waiting in the coldframe, to dig up the broad bean rows and to sow dwarf french beans in that empty space… However I had missed the allotment so much that I was too busy soaking in all the little changes, taking photos and sipping tea that the time just flew by! My main aim was to water everything and I did just that, I made sure to water both mine and my Dad’s plot early in the morning before it got too hot and before I got too distracted! I also managed to quickly plant out my flower seedlings into the flower patch including some Ammi Majus, Zinnia’s, Verbena Bonariensis, Craspedia Globosa and Panicum Elegans. They’ve been desperate to escape the little seed tray for a few weeks now and should have been planted out last month.
I’ve been away for 2 weeks now and everything has had a growth spurt, it must be all this beautiful sunshine we are having. The flower patch is bursting with new colours, two gladioli have bloomed and the allium sphaerocephalon are putting on a glorious show which the bees are loving right now. The lavender is also looking it’s best and I can’t wait to harvest some when I return in a weeks time. I think my favourite area right now has to be the entrance to the flower patch though, it looks a little overcrowded and wild but I just adore it. Both the lavender and gypsophila are absolutely beautiful and they compliment each other so well, they both look like clouds of colour and I just love sitting on my shed step and looking out towards them, they make my heart smile.
The vegetables beds are slowly growing along with the potatoes being harvested and all the broad beans being eaten already. The carrots are thickening up, the sweetcorn is growing taller and the courgettes are producing plenty of harvests. My parents have been picking them whilst I’ve been away but there was one ready for the taking now so I’ll be carrying it all the way to Wales to eat. The french beans are climbing the archway and the munchkin pumpkins and crown prince squashes are starting to put on some growth too. But that’s about it for the vegetable beds…
The thing that has impressed me the most however, is the squash that I planted in the trough. It has grown huge and is even trying to escape the planter! I’ve been planting a squash in this trough for the past 2 years after the tulips have finished blooming, both times it’s failed due to lack of watering but this year it is flourishing! I’ve made sure that it is constantly watered and with help from my Dad it looks amazing, there’s even lots of baby squashes growing on the vine. The gherkin in the trough is also growing like crazy and it desperately needs a support to climb up, a job for next week!
I’ve missed my little patch so much and it just felt so nice to be there for a few hours, in fact I could have sat there all day in the sun watching the bee’s buzzing around. It was just what I needed to get my gardening mojo back, I’ve been feeling a bit down about the allotment lately but spending that short amount of time up there this weekend has reignited my passion and I can’t wait to get my hands dirty. Right now however it’s just trying to find that healthy balance between work, the allotment and Wales…
6 thoughts on “Just what I needed…”
Lovely photos and dialogue Katie….love this green skirt too…couldn’t we be very fluffy and have some views and stockists of ‘Katies clothes’.?
Thank you so much Barbara, I’m a sucker for a pretty skirts and dresses! This one here is from Boohoo and was relatively cheap, I don’t have a favourite shop and love charity/vintage shopping. I have a rather strange fashion sense!
Who’s that in 15c? #skirt
Oh I love wearing skirts and dresses but don’t usually wear them up the allotment what with all the digging etc. It just so happens I was off out that morning and popped up the allotment quick to water
Lovely. The squash in the tub is, indeed, very lush.
It’s the first time it’s grown in the trough so third time lucky worked!