Monday, January 06, 2014

The Garden Share Collective - January 2014

The Garden Share Collective is the brain child of Lizzie from Strayed from the Table. There are a group of bloggers from all over the place who chat about what is going on in their gardens, with hints and tips. Pop over to Strayed from the Table to check out all the others.

This is going to be fairly photo heavy and shorter than my usual ramble!!

In the veggie garden
Pretty big difference from last month - it's all going a bit haywire - veggies AND weeds. Usually I am anal about weeds on the paths, but this year I have been so busy doing fun things that the paths are way more messy than they would normally be - oh the shame! 


This bed had got a butternut squash and a crown pumpkin. I had some spare space so just bunged these in.

A teeny, tiny butternut squash.


Now, this I am excited about - a Luffa(H)! I am so so hoping it takes and stays and I get a few more - if we have a long hot summer I should get some that I can dry out - here's hoping!


My snake beans are finally taking off - they were very slow to start this year.


The apple cucumber is getting huge, but the cucumbers on the plant aren't. There are loads of them so we shall see what happens.


The telegraph cucumber, however has been amazing. It's been laden with the tastiest cucumbers I've ever had. But it looks like it's a bit spent now. I'm going to give it a lot of food and see if it perks up, cos it's been ace!

Courgette, as usual, going a storm.


The tomatoes have been a bit funny this year. The cherry one had grown really well and produced hundreds of lovely tomatoes, but looks like its ready to pop its clogs now. The more ordinary ones, moneymaker, black krim  and sweet 100 are doing ok but seem slower than usual. I've also grown one this year called Big Boy - which has turned into a triffid of a plant - huge and healthy, but hardly any tomatoes on it. Odd.


The sweetcorn is almost ready! yippee!

This is a fairly standard daily haul.



The rest of the garden 

my wee pomegranate tree is full of flowers  - I so hope at least one sets into fruit.


Going to have a massive crop of passionfruit this year, though, This vine is laden.


The hedge is beginning to grow -I have to prune it a lot so that it will grow thick rather than spindly. It's a bit of a labour of love at the moment.

But you can see a difference - just! At least the grass has grown back.

The bees are having a high old time on the french lavender.

And my all time favourite - the gardenias are out in force. I adore them - they smell like Rarotonga to me and it's gorgeous.


The jacaranda is magnificent.


So, there you go, a bit shorter than usual this month. I seem to have been incredibly busy - with everything that's NOT garden related.



15 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:46 am

    Are the cucumbers outside, Laura, or in your greenhouse? Everything looks so lush! Fi x

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    1. the cucumbers are outside - i think if I out them in the greenhouse it would be covered in cucumber in about a week!!

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  2. So you have a few weeds, tsk! Having some fun instead of weeding is good for you. Our Gardenia is flowering and I love the smell. Your Jacaranda looks amazing!!!!

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  3. Y'all really have found your little piece of heaven out there! I so admire your self sufficiency [maybe a little envious and long for it myself ;)].
    So inspiring, really! I love following along with all that comes out of your garden.

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    1. aw thanks! we're not totally self sufficient! but pretty much there :)

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  4. Looks good, we're having some problems with our tomatoes. I think we need to ensure we don't plant in the same bed again, One plants stem is hollow on the inside! And we've pulled another out and at least another 2 are gonners! :( We were late planting other stuff but it seems some of our stuff isn't too far behind yours, so that encouraging. Weeds! The bane of my life....time to get some HelpXers?? :D

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    1. I do have mine in a different bed, but last year they'd ben in the same bed 2 years in a row and were amazing!! ooo helpxers!

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  5. Your tomatoes look wonderful - they are so shiny and perfectly round. I have not had much luck with them this year. Glad you are enjoying your festive season instead of pulling the weeds from the garden paths.

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    Replies
    1. they do taste really really good :) just not huge crops this year. Yeah!! who needs to weed!!!

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  6. Hello! Your gardens are amazing. Looking forward to following along. Hoping to join in with the Shared Garden Collective soon too. So much inspiration. Elaina

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    1. oo you must!!! join in and go for it!

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  7. I've signed up for the garden collective too. :D

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  8. Oh, my! What a lovely garden tour! I've never seen a jacaranda before. They look stunning with all those flowers. For that matter, I've never seen a pomegranate flower either! The "daily haul" makes my mouth water.

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I love it when you leave me comments, it lets me know there are folk out there reading my ramblings! Thank you, I appreciate them loads and loads
Laura x