A tale of two cherries

I planted a bareroot 'Sunburst' cherry tree in the spring of 2009.  It was grafted on Gisela dwarfing rootstock and expected to reach a height of 3-4 metres when fully grown.  'Sunburst' is a dessert cherry and has large, almost black fruit.  Some say it is sweeter and has a more intense flavour than 'Stella'.

'Y' shaped sapling standing proud in 6" of snow

It pulled through the coldest UK winter in 31 years and burst forth with blossoms this spring.

White cherry blossoms

Spring 2010

I eagerly anticipated a tree laden with juicy black fruit.  The weather got warmer, the petals fluttered to the ground, the fruitlet dropped off...... leaving............

Just two!

Hoping that the birds and squirrels would leave these alone, I watched the colour change.....

mmm...juicy red

getting darker

ready!

Ooh yes, I did get to taste the fruit and it was absolutely divine - the rich flavour of the almost black, juicy fruit was worth the wait.  Note to self: water and fertilise regularly = bumper crop next year!

Salad greens

Direct from garden to plate, now that's what I'd call a garden salad!

Greens n flowers

Pampered 'aubergine'

In late spring, my friend Kyri gave me an aubergine (eggplant) seedling from his greenhouse.  I placed it under a cloche surrounded by other seedlings on the patio.  On cold nights, I worried about it's ability to survive and even considered placing a hot water bottle by it's side.  Anyway, it pulled through and gradually this handsome plant emerged. Anyone recognise it?

Young 'aubergine' with green fruit

By mid-summer, I was ready to give up on my aubergine plant.  It was grown in a luxurious pot and fed copious amounts of potato fertiliser but the fruits were minute..... 

The smallest ripe 'aubergines' I've ever seen..... 

Finally a call came through - the 'aubergine' was actually a weed!

P.S.  Kyri also gave me a pepper plant.

First steps in May

I started sowing heritage and non-hybrid seeds in early May in recycled receptacles.  These were then left on the patio under cover of upturned clear plastic containers to do their thing.  Germination rates were surprisingly good and amazingly, most seedlings were in the ground by month's end.....

Bog rolls rule!

'Champion of England' climbing peas, 'White Emergo' runner beans,
'Summer Crookneck' and 'Pattison Orange' Patty Pan squashes,

'Russian Mammoth' and Aussie sunflowers, 'Hestia' dwarf runner beans,

'Golden Sweet' yellow mangetout, 'Cupidon' dwarf beans,
dwarf sugar snap peas, 'Double Standard' bicolour sweetcorn,

2 yr old Digger's Club heritage tomato seeds - every single seed germinated!

'Sanguina' beetroot,

Rocket in the fig pot,

and 'White Lisbon' spring onions

Climbing frame for tall peas

Teepee for beans, net frame for mangetout and yes,
the grass needed cutting!

Furry friends

Introducing the local 'help'.....

The Supervisor

The Soprano

Creating a dunny to discourage too much feline 'help'
in the vegetable beds.....

Result!

In praise of the celandine

In 1802 William Wordsworth wrote this poem about his favourite flower.....

To the Small Celandine

Pansies, Lilies, Kingcups, Daisies,

Let them live upon their praises;

Long as there's a sun that sets

Primroses will have their glory;

Long as there are violets,

They will have a place in story:

There's a flower that shall be mine,

'Tis the little Celandine.

Celandine - the herald of early spring

Spring blossoms in April and May

Flowers from the fruit and vegetable garden .....

Purple sprouting broccoli

'Sunburst' cherry

Chive

'Brown Turkey' figs - inverted flowers

'Bluecrop' blueberry

Pear tree

'Conference' Pear

'Azure Star' purple kohlrabi