Category: Flighty’s plot

I’ve long thought that the foxes drink from the original pond as I usually have to top it up with at least a half a bucket of water most days I’m there. Yesterday morning this was confirmed by Fox NewtonAs you can see he’s  rather mangy compared with Missy Newton! It was wonderful just sitting watching him for several minutes, and of course getting this photo of him.

I then got to work planting my Swift early seed potatoes and onion sets. I should be eating the  potatoes by the end of May but the onions won’t be ready until August.  I also sowed half of the broad beans Masterpiece Green Longpod which mature from July onwards.

Back in December I was given some bulbs most of which I planted hereIt’ll be interesting to see what blooms from these!

I was also given a few narcissus Little Gem mini daffodils

I was surprised to see this pansy Blue Jokeras I thought that none had grown. It’s a cheeky looking flower isn’t it! The four stems on the left of the photo are all that remain of these!

Even though most of the plot is bare earth it was still nice to sit and look round,  especially with these just a few feet awayand several bumble bees lazily buzzing around.

On Friday morning I saw a grey heron circle  overhead before landing by the adjacent ecology park pond. That’s only the second one I’ve seen whilst I’ve been plotting.

It wasn’t sunny most of last week but it was dry and relatively mild so I did plenty of general tidying up on the plot.

Much of the bottom vegetable patch is still very sticky in places but it was  better at the top flower area where I dug some it over.  That attracted the robin(s) after a tasty worm but much as I tried I didn’t get a good photo of the gardener’s friend. This was  the best one where it’s sitting on top of a sunflower stem.

On Friday I got my first sighting of something using the new pond, which was a wood pigeon having a drink.Sadly these are just the opposite to robins as they are pesky birds on allotments and in gardens.

The crocus started to flower this week bringing some much welcome spots of colour to the plot.

Taking nectar from a purple one on another plot was this bumble bee.

This is one of several groups of daffodils which are spread around the plot, and should be flowering before too long

There were also several of these which I have to admit  I can’t remember what they are!

Happy gardening!

last week than I have over the past few months!

Wednesday was overcast, but relatively mild,  so after breakfast I went to build the new compost bin. I found that the original compost heap was ready to use so I spread it over the vegetable patch.

I worked steadily through the morning and, with surprisingly few problems, ended up with a bin that’s  big and permanent. On Thursday I went back to apply a coat of green wood preserver  so that it will blend in,  especially once some grass and plants have grown along the front edge.

Next on the list was the new pond which I did on FridayI reckon that it’ll look okay once there’s some grass and flowers around the edge.  I like the way the water sparkles in the sunlight and the wind ripples the surface.

Yesterday was a gloriously sunny, warm day which got off to a brilliant start when I said  Hello again! to Fox Newton.  I spent the morning doing some much needed tidying up all over the plot so that it now looks rather better than it did. Mind you that was only the start as there’s lots  more to do to get it ready for planting and sowing.

This morning as I walked towards the allotment gates  Fox Missy appeared from under the willow tree. I stopped and whilst getting the camera out of my pocket she came ever closer

before crossing right in front of me

then stopping to look at me again before wandering off.

If that wasn’t a brilliant enough start to the day once I went  through the gates I saw several pied wagtails just ahead of me on the roadway which I’ve not seen there before.

Later on whilst working on the plot I looked up to see Missy sitting about ten feet away yawning and scratching, but of course the camera was over in the shed!

I was recently looking through the photos that I’ve taken during last year and was pleased to see several that I can use as header pictures.

I’m starting with this one of a gardener’s friend on one of this gardener’s favourite flowers!

It’s always good to see  ladybirds* anywhere on the plot such as  the blackberries, runner beans and sweet peas.  * That is except Harlequin ladybirds like this!

Sweet peas were one of my real successes from sowing seeds in pots indoors to cutting a bunch of fragrant flowers to bring home.

I usually start any plot visit by walking round looking at the  plants and any wildlife,  although there’s  not been  much to see during the past few months. Perhaps it was just the brown, ripped topped,  sunflower stems or an elusive dunnock feeding on seed that I’d scattered on the ground.

I’m going to have a second pond! This one is a green plastic dustbin lid that is about 21 inches diameter and, at most,  3 inches deep.  I’m hoping that the birds will use it as a bath and insects, such as dragonflies, will be attracted to it.

I’m aiming to do that, and build my new compost bin, sometime during  the next few weeks whilst the ground hopefully dries out enough to be able to start some serious plotting!

Here’s one of my plot best photos which is a reminder of sunny, warm days!

which always makes me feel better, especially at this time of year. Mind you there’s still plenty of snow around and I felt the chill wind when I went out.

This photo of the plot is deceptive as it was taken mid-morning but right into the sun which makes it very bleak looking.

At least I could find the pond today!

There were plenty of animal tracks to be seen.

I walked home through the ecology park where I spotted a few birds – a robin, a couple of blue tits, a few magpies and pigeons – and a grey squirrel which I stood and watched scampering  in and out of here!

As you can see the pond there is well frozen

By the time I went for a walk to the plot earlier this morning it had stopped snowing but there were at least several inches underfoot. I really can’t remember the last time I’ve seen this much snow here!

I refilled the bird feeders and once I’d found the pond I did that as well!

I’ve now got a snow rosemary in the stone feature,

and a proper snow log.

Not surprisingly there was no sign, or sound, of any birds even  in the trees at the edge of the allotments.

However I did see two foxes but unfortunately they were over there going away from me.

It was then time to head home into the warm for tea and biscuits. Looking out the window it’s getting very grey and snowing again!