This post follows on from last Thursday’s Just vegetables.
The soft fruits – blackberries (back), raspberries (middle) and strawberries (front) – are all growing well
and I’m hoping for a few more berries than I got last year!
The grape that my good plot neighbour Joe gave me hasn’t been growing well in the container it was in so I’ve replanted it in the ground by a corner of the compost heap where it’s sheltered and will get plenty of sunshine. The mini-daffs that were also in it I’ve replanted with others by the stone feature.
The container has been moved and I’ll probably grow a nasturtium or two in it. The bird feeders, which have hardly been touched recently, have been moved across to the other side of the compost bin.
Beverley, a long-time hardware store colleague , kindly gave me this primrose
She’s promised me a couple more, one of which will join this one by the new pond and the other go by Frog’s pond.
Joe cut a couple of his plum trees right back last year and I took one of the branches and stuck it in the ground at the end of the log pile, hoping perhaps that a robin would use it as a perch. If it does I’ve never seen it do so but recently I’ve noticed that the branch is showing signs of growth!
The alder and hawthorn trees, now both around two feet tall, are growing well with plenty of leaves on them.
The three roses – Iceberg, Pretty Lady and Valentine Heart – have started growing new foliage and I’m hoping that they’ll produce plenty of blooms during the summer. The Iceberg didn’t flower at all last year so it’s on notice to do well or else!
The weather is looking good for the coming week so I’ll be concentrating on the flower areas. That will include sowing sunflowers Tall Single and Pastiche, and sweet pea varieties Bouquet Blend and the white Swan Lake.
I’ll also be sowing packets of Wild Flower Mixture, Field and Hedgerow Flowers and Annual Ornamental Grasses.
Many of the other flowers I’m going to sow are traditional garden favourites. More about them another time.
Flighty's plot 
*looks around* ;o) It’s looking good… but hey! What do know. I like that trunk with the sticky out bits! Very colourful!
Where is the sunshine? It’s operation dog wash today but I need sun! (We were going to use the bath but I’m afraid the mess would send me over the edge so I bought a connection for the hose for the mixer tap.) It’s going to be a garden splash down! xx
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Daffy there’s still lots of brown patches but it is beginning to look good!
It’ll be interesting to see if those sticky out bits continue to grow!
It’s been sunny here today. I hope that you survived washing Tess without getting totally soaked! xx
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Amazing that that plum branch is sprouting new growth. Gardening is always full of surprises, isn’t it? Here all the fruit shrubs are coming along nicely too. I’ve ordered 2 more shrubs Goyi berries. Never tried them before.
I’ve noticed you have sown a lot of veggies too. I had put in some lollo rosso seedlings, unfortunately the slugs ate them all. Have to try again.
Enjoy your weekend, here it’s sunny too!
cheerio, xx
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Yolanda yes I was most surprised when I noticed it!
Good luck with the Goyi berries.
That’s a shame, slugs are a real menace aren’t they. At least you can sow some more.
It’s been a sunny weekend, and I’ve spent most of it enjoying myself on the plot! xx
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haha oh we all got soaked! I was wet to my knees. My boots squelched! I guess ‘sticky out bits is a technical term… *chuckles* xx
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Daffy I’m not at all surprised!
The proper term is leaf nodes but I prefer your description! xx
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My soft fruits are doing well in the garden. Should be in for a good crop this year. Iceberg roses remind me of my childhood in our garden at home. You have given me incentive to get some seeds on the go Flighty, only flowers this year though. x
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Louise I’m glad to hear that, and let’s hope so!
My mother loved roses and had lots of Icebergs.
That’s good to know, and well done! xx
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Hi Flighty.
How lovely to have real Primroses, I do love them. If yours set seed may I beg a pinch? I’ve got lots of wild flower seeds I can send you in return. 🙂
G x
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Georgie yes they’re a lovely flower. Of course you may, and I’ll let you know if and when they set seed. xx
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A fantastic post, Flighty. It seems not that long ago that you were showing barely the newest of leaves and bulbs emerging from the soil. Well, here you are with leafy berry plants soaking in sunshine and rain and ready to produce this year — we hope!! I’m also looking forward to seeing those trees thrive — do alders and hawthorns grow quickly in your climate? The plum tree seems to have taken root nicely,
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Nikki thanks! This morning I noticed some flowers on the strawberries.
The alder is in fact an ash!
http://www.british-trees.com/treeguide/ashes/nbnsys0000003949.htm
I’m not sure how fast trees such as these grow but I shall restrict their growth if they get taller than me which shouldn’t be for a few years at least.
As for the plum tree we’ll have to see what that does! xx
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Nice to see that the rest of your plot is showing lots of greenery ~ this is what we’ve been waiting for ~ Spring growing in the sunshine 🙂 Always helpful to receive plants from a friend, especially when the plants are perennials. I’m amazed at the plum tree taking root as well. Sounds like things are going according to plan.
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Glo looking round this morning I noticed that the second lot of broad beans are all showing which I’m sure they weren’t yesterday!
As you say it’s always nice to be given plants.
Ah yes the plan…! xx
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The plums are in full blossom here and they are wonderful, as indeed are the pears and the apples.
Thank you so much for leaving a comment on my new blog it was very much appreciated.
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Re I was only to happy to read your blog and comment on it!
There’s certainly been plenty of blossom on all the fruit trees and everyone is hoping for a good year.
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My son and his partner have now a rather large garden, but no knowledge of gardening….have started them with lupins (easy to re-produce, and strawberries (easy to eat), and a recommendation to read your blog regularly!
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IP lucky them! I’m sure that if they’re keen they’ll soon start to learn.
Many thanks for that recommendation!
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Enjoyed the tour around your plot. Glad to see better weather has arrived. Had to laugh at your telling Mr. Iceberg to cheer up or be dug up.
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Beginninghere you’re welcome! Yes it’s been really sunny and warm.
I’m being very nice to it but if it doesn’t flower…! xx
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Tell it (the Iceberg) that it’s in a race to see who’s going to bloom first ~ (yours or mine) perhaps that would egg it on, or get it to pull up its socks, or whatever roses do when they’re being slightly pressured, I mean encouraged 😉
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Glo I point out to it that the other two roses bloomed profusely last year so I think that it should try to show them up this year!
I’ll do what you suggest as well! xx
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Oh my goodness! Look at the plum sprouting! The yellow primrose makes me think of England. I have an Iceberg rose. I hope to find you’ve stuck with it, because it’s really pretty.
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Liz sadly the plum didn’t survive, nor did the primrose and the Iceberg rose reverted to a dog rose! xx
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