Friday 17 June 2011

Update Around the Garden

I apologise because my posts are a bit slow at the moment, but I have really had very little time to blog.  Two visitors have just left after a two week stay, and tomorrow I have a very dear friend, who has just moved back to the UK from South Africa, coming to stay for 10 days.  I am really looking forward to seeing her again, so if I disappear for another while, please do not be surprised.

I have taken a few photos around the garden and although I am picking some produce, most things are very slow.  Firstly due to late planting, as I was so busy on arrival, and secondly due to the lack of rain.  We are getting some cloudy days and there have been several storms around us, but we just seem to miss it all, other than a couple of light drizzly days that have barely registered in the rain gauge.
Onions with chard in the background, asparagus now over to the left.

Potatoes in front, pumpkins, tomatoes and topinambour  behind.
The canes with the white tops are to prevent me from sticking them in my eye!! I learnt this trick the hard way!

Granny Smith apples

Chilli peppers

Beans which are very slow this year!

My first courgettes of the year

More courgettes

Peppers

Plums; they will only be ready in August, so I hope we get some rain to prevent them all from dropping.

The tomatoes are doing well, but I have only picked the very few which have ripened so far.
Unknown flower with unknown bug!!

This may be a type of cornflower but I am not certain. It is a very tiny flower, the whole head being no more than 2cms in diameter.  There are 'real' cornflowers next to it which are identical colour. I have thrown in seeds from a mixed packet as I did last year and identification (for me) is very difficult!!

Thanks to Michelle from New Zealand I have discovered that this is Nigella, or common name Love in the Mist.

Forget-me-not ?

Ha, this one I know is hydrangea, but the flowers this year are quarter normal size. 
 The sage is doing very well despite the drought

Last but not least is this beautiful rose, a photo which I captured one evening while in the UK earlier this month.  I have a couple of cuttings here in the French garden, but they will take a couple of years to get as well established as this plant.

66 comments:

  1. You are so lucky. When I had a garden in upstate NY, I didn't get zucchini until august! The garden looks wonderful, Diane. Keep on growing and have a great time.

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  2. Hello Diane:
    In spite of the very tricky weather conditions you have had, your vegetable garden is looking very productive and beautifully tended. There is something so very satisfying about collecting home grown produce straight from the garden but the experience of our gardening days would be to know that it is all quite hard work and very time consuming.

    Your Hydrangeas are probably really feeling the lack of rain and that could account for their size. Still, you have some lovely flowers blooming at the moment and how perfect to be able to enjoy them with friends and a glass of wine!

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  3. I think your garden looks lovely. I think it must be wonderful to be able to pick your own fruit and veg, it reminds me of when I was growing up and we lived on our garden produce. I hope you get some rain soon it sounds as if you need it (and we have more than enough here to share). Enjoy the visit with your friend from South Africa.

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  4. Your vegetable garden looks excellent Diane... even with the challenging conditions. Have a good time with your friend from RSA.

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  5. Your garden looks wonderful despite the lack of rain. I'd be eating the squash bloosoms and cooking fried green tomatoes. Have fun with company.

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  6. Lots of lovely things happening in you garden - those tomatoes will be delish - I hope the birds don't get your apples!
    Enjoy your house guest Diane - we will be still here in blogland!

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  7. Α very productive garden!!!!
    Have it all!
    I wish you good harvest!!
    Amiries

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  8. Hello dear Diane,

    your "Hmmmmmm" looks like the seed head of a Nigella flower - a.k.a. Love in the Mist. It is all looking very good from this side of the world.

    Unusually for Wellington, NZ, we've been getting rain but very little wind. I've actually been able to use an umbrella!!!!!

    Sending our care and many huggles, Michelle and Zebby Cat

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  9. Diane, I'm so envy of you to have such a beautiful garden. Just look at all those green vegetables and fruits.....and flowers. I think I want to move into your place. hahaha....
    Have a lovely weekend.
    Kristy

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  10. Really nice shots. I'm amazed at that purple 'thing' with 'horns'! What is that?

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  11. So many things growing in your garden! It's wonderful, having fresh fruits, vegetables, and plants around you. The roses are magnificent.

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  12. Hola Diane,precioso jardin! con sus cebollas, tomates,esparragos, patatas,calabacines y bellísimas flores de colores ¡ Fantástico!

    Un saludo desde España.
    Isabel

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  13. I shall try and send some of the heavy down pours we are having in Reading at the moment over your way to help out. (But only for a bit so that you can continue to enjoy warm weather). You have a beautiful garden thanks so much for sharing it with us. I used to love growing courgettes and if I get my allotment place at some point I hope to do so again. x

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  14. A nice tidy veg patch, and looking good despite lack of rain. Although we have had rain, the weather has turned cold so things have stopped growing! And never, ever, will I ever have such a tidy veg plot, so well done you!

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  15. Your garden's coming right along! That rose is just beautiful.

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  16. Your garden is looking lovely Diane, we have not had any tomatoes ripen yet but we are harvesting courgettes daily. Please remember you do not need to apologise, blog without obligation and enjoy. Have a lovely time with your friend.

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  17. I don't think I have ever seen sage flowers before, or perhaps I just haven't been observant enough to notice.

    It is lovely having friends to stay, but so difficult to keep up with any sort of normal routine. Perhaps sometimes that in itself is a good thing! Still nature waits for no man - or woman ......

    Enjoy your time with your friend.

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  18. It all looks fantastic Diane - well done, I wish I was better in the garden! I have been reading your blogs even if I haven't been able to comment on them and I couldn't believe you had visited Aixe and been in my favourite porcelaine shop! You really weren't that far from me here. Anyway, enjoy your visitor and hope to hear from you soon xx

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  19. What a wonderful garden with so much produce on it's way. Have a wonderful visit with your friend.
    Mary

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  20. wow, awesome, lovely all these home grown fruits and vegetables.

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  21. Longpastremebered, we are still waiting for rain, I wonder if we will ever get rain again at this stage! Diane

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  22. Jane and Lance, I agree it is so satisfying eating home grown vegetables, but I am wondering how long we can keep this up with the lack of rain. We are 130mm short this year on what we were this time last year and that was not even a good year!! Diane

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  23. Dolly I am enjoying Mary's visit, it is fantastic to see her again after so long. Diane

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  24. Craig I am enjoying my visitor, but oh how I wish it would rain!! Diane

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  25. Gaelyn I have found if i pick the flowers from the courgettes they invaraibly give up the ghost and

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  26. Gaelyn I find if I pick the flowers from the courgettes, the vegetable invariably shrivels up and dies on me and I prefer to have the vegetable :-) Diane

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  27. Dianne I do not have much of a problem with birds eating my fruit. Maybe because I feed them they stay away from the fruit :-) Diane

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  28. Thanks Magda, if you would just send some rain my way........ Diane

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  29. Thanks Michelle for your info, much appreciated and note made on the blog. Diane

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  30. Hi Diane!! Just enjoy your friend's visit, we'll be here all year round. I'm having friends visiting too, it's hard to keep track of the blog. Your garden is just great, hope you get some rain.

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  31. Kristy I just love having my own veg and herb garden but this year is very difficult as mains water is expensive!!! Diane

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  32. JM thanks for the comment, you now have your answer :-) Diane

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  33. Thanks Olga, I have to agree that rose is magnificent. I tried to find out what it was at the nursery but they could not tell me !!! Diane

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  34. Your garden is looking good. Too bad I can't share with you some the rain we've been having. Take it easy and enjoy the company of your friend!!!

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  35. Isobel. Gracias por su visita y comentario. Diane

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  36. Hi Froggy, I hope you get your allotment ASAP. Good to see a photo of you on your blog. Diane

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  37. Vera, I think my veggy plot is not that tidy but it does. When I look at my friends up the road with their lovely beds and paths......... Take care. Diane

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  38. Thanks Marjie I agree with you over the rose, it is stunning. Diane

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  39. Gaynor I have 3 sage bushes, two are very prolific flowering the other one only has a few flowers on it. Take care Diane

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  40. Roz I was there again on Monday. When we left Limoges we went to the Porcelain shop!!! Will be back there next Tuesday when I take Mary back to the airport. Diane

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  41. Mary (Mum's Kitchen) I am very much enjoying my Mary's visit, Thanks. Diane

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  42. Sonia, I am very lucky to have the space, I love my veggie plot. Diane

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  43. Thanks Christine. Take care. Diane

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  44. Thanks Pamela, I am enjoying the visit. Scanning through other blogs but not leaving comments for the time being. Diane :-)

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  45. Pam how I wish you could share some rain, we need it so badly. Take care Diane

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  46. I know you are enjoying your company. What fun. The roses are so pretty. Lots of veggies to eat. Seems like so many of us are experiencing dry conditions this year but then again we deal with it most years off and on don't we.

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  47. What a gorgeous garden, and such beautiful photos. hope you are having a nice time with your visitors.

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  48. Beautiful photos. My garden is also not growing so quickly as it has rained a lot here in my city this spring. Enjoy your visit. I have just arrived home from Kenya and I too have a visitor in two days. See you when you are back. xx

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  49. You are very lucky to eat vegetables of your own garden.They are much good for health.All the pics are great.

    Thanks

    _______
    Roger
    Vicoprofen

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  50. Your crops look pretty good to me and are at about the same stage as mine, although your tomatoes and courgettes are further on, so don't be disheartened. The rain will come sooner or later!

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  51. Your garden looks much better than mine. We're having a serious drought here in Eastern North Carolina.

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  52. Becca this is the driest year in many, many years. I cannot believe that our cedar tree has kicked the bucket but there is now no doubt about it!! Diane

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  53. Muppy I am now having lots of fun with my ex S. African friend thanks. Diane

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  54. Joyful, I did not realise that you had been back to Kenya. I am struggling to keep up at the moment. Hope the trip was successful for you in every way. Diane

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  55. Drug1234, Many thanks for your visit and comment. Yes we are lucky to have veg from our garden, it tastes so much better than bought! Diane

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  56. growinginmygarden, afraid I am disheartened. The rain is all around us but we are just not getting it. We are now about 140mm less than what we had this time last year and that was not a good year!! Diane

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  57. Judy I do not know what is going on in the world. If it is not a drought then you get washed away. What with all the other natural disasters going on as well.
    Mains water is so expensive but if I do not use it all will be dead very quickly!! Think this years home grown veggie are going to be very expensive! Diane

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  58. Your garden is lovely Diane. Enjoy your guests. It's so important that they have a good time when they visit.
    Sam

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  59. You definitely have some abundant veggies and flowers in your garden Diane. I love that purple thing hehehe. I just updated one of my blogs about my garden too.

    PS.. Pardon me if I seldom visit, summer for our family is always a busy day.. I added your blog to my list so I won't have to dig my old posts to find you hehehe..

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  60. Sam I am really enjoying Mary's company we are having lots of fun :-) Diane

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  61. chubskulit don't worry if you don't have time, I am well aware of the problem as I also have little time at the moment!! Diane

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  62. Sorry it took me so long to visit your garden...I glanced through it before, but my computer takes so long sometimes. I really have to do something about that. I have never seen a nigella before...so interesting. I wish I could grow all the vegetables that you do. I do well with the herbs though. We finally did get some rain yesterday a good most of the day rain. Our lawn was crunchy too.

    Sounds like it's a good reason to be busy from blogging. Have a nice visit with your friends.

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  63. Lyndsey I well know the problem with a slow computer. In the UK everything is double speed, when I get here into the country everything is 1/4 speed!!! Glad you have had some rain we are still waiting!!! Diane

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  64. oh, that's so wonderful to be able to get those produces on and off from your garden. Ha, you got me smiling looking at those sticks with white tops!!

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  65. Lena, those sticks with white tops hopefully will prevent me from sticking them in my eye and taking a trip to hospital. I learnt the hard way, luckily my eye is OK. Diane

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