gardening in a bog
It's rained for a huge part of December. The humidity and sudden changes in temperature have wrought their toll on my boy and we are on the second night of asthma watch. Tenting on Tuesday is looking distinctly less likely. The vegetables seem to cope with the rain much better than the fruit. Below is my celery gone to seed and now so heavy it has toppled over. The cabbages nearby are testament to one big learning this season - it doesn't matter how cabbages we grow, we still don't actually eat much cabbage. I've thought of making sauerkraut but haven't done anything with that thought. You can see the marigolds just in bud if you look closely at the foreground.
I think this second photo might be evidence of the cottage garden potager look I fancied from the organic magazines when I first started creating my garden three years ago. The strawberries have survived from last year so strongly I haven't the heart to pull them out. I found two lovely lush ripe ones today which had both escaped the eyes of the birds and the scourge of botrytis - mould but such a much better word I think. The borage has brought the bees in and is now decorating the other plants with beautiful blue dropped flowers. The rocket ran to seed but I am hoping the seed will bring up more rocket when the weather suits better (it is the changing which is sending so much to seed I think). The leeks are my attempt at autumn/winter planning and in the background the celery and rhubarb are growing nicely.
Ah. The tomatoes. It was going to be so wonderful growing them under the lean-to. Then the hose broke completely in winter and the tap fell off the wall so it still works but when I fill the watering can, it does tend to swivel and squirt all over my clothes. Watering seems so bizarre when the rest of the garden is under water but you can see the consequences of my neglect below. The ones in larger pots are coping but not those which I haven't even transplanted into decent sized growing containers. Next time I play round with growing in covered situations, I will invest in a better set up and some kind of trickle irrigation hose.
I think this second photo might be evidence of the cottage garden potager look I fancied from the organic magazines when I first started creating my garden three years ago. The strawberries have survived from last year so strongly I haven't the heart to pull them out. I found two lovely lush ripe ones today which had both escaped the eyes of the birds and the scourge of botrytis - mould but such a much better word I think. The borage has brought the bees in and is now decorating the other plants with beautiful blue dropped flowers. The rocket ran to seed but I am hoping the seed will bring up more rocket when the weather suits better (it is the changing which is sending so much to seed I think). The leeks are my attempt at autumn/winter planning and in the background the celery and rhubarb are growing nicely.
Ah. The tomatoes. It was going to be so wonderful growing them under the lean-to. Then the hose broke completely in winter and the tap fell off the wall so it still works but when I fill the watering can, it does tend to swivel and squirt all over my clothes. Watering seems so bizarre when the rest of the garden is under water but you can see the consequences of my neglect below. The ones in larger pots are coping but not those which I haven't even transplanted into decent sized growing containers. Next time I play round with growing in covered situations, I will invest in a better set up and some kind of trickle irrigation hose. 
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