We had some glorious warm days so I managed to be busy in the garden. I needed space in the polytunnels for new seeds so I’ve been clearing out old crops. There were some nice carrots in two separate areas so I removed the older lot and stored them. I put them in a bucket with some dry soil over them to keep them from drying out.
I still have some in another bed. I can never remember the variety I’ve grown but it will be recorded in my gardening diary.
I fed the spring cabbages with some fish, blood and bone to spur them on. This month they begin to grow with the extra sunlight from longer days. I grow Spring Hero which I think is the only spring cabbage to form a head. By April they will have formed lovely ball heads which will make tasty salads or a steamed veg.
I sowed celeriac, spring onions, parsnips, mangetout peas and kohl rabi. All these are under cover in the polytunnel where they will grow well and be protected from pests. The garlic is coming along and has been mulched to keep the moisture in.
I wandered around the garden with my camera and spotted several Ladybirds clustered in a sage leaf basking in the sunshine.
The hellebores have been fabulous. I have lots of different ones but don’t know their names. The labels have all faded and my memory is poor. If you look at the individual flowers you will see the differences. Their centres, petal formations and colour have distinctive features.
I bought a nice pot of basil from the supermarket. These are as good as homegrown and with a little care will keep going for a while. I give it a dribble of tea most days. It seems to like that.
I made one of our favourite salads with it. Now, I believed this to be my own invention but when I put it on Facebook someone said it was a classic Italian recipe! So perhaps I’d seen it somewhere and the idea was planted in my mind. Whatever the reason for this, it’s a delicious salad.
I put a little olive oil in a dish with salt and pepper and a bit of crushed garlic ( not enough to overpower the other flavours). Cut some bread into cubes and put them into the dish, then I tossed them thoroughly to coat the bread with the oil. I added sliced tomatoes, black olives and torn basil leaves and mixed well.
It’s a really good way of using dry bread. I find a white bloomer loaf works well. It has the right taste and texture. Serve with grated cheese. A good organic cheddar is excellent.
No need for Italian cheeses. They are very tasty but we have some really good ones in Britain. Cheddar is good for grating, especially with the salad I made. Lancashire is excellent for toasting and our blue cheeses like Stilton and Shropshire blue are fabulous.
I’m waiting for a metal hoop to be delivered so that I can make my wreath from the leaves I knitted over the winter. I’m itching to get it done. I think I will cover the hoop with bias binding and stuff it slightly then stitch the leaves, acorns and berries to it.
Meanwhile, I’m painting an acrylic picture. Bit of a challenge but I’m determined to do it. I mostly paint with gouache. People often ask me what that is. It’s a more opaque form of watercolour. It gives a much bolder look to the painting which I prefer. I’m not much for watery paintings although some do have an appeal. To give you an idea of what I mean here is an early painting I did of water lilies.
Enjoying Grayson’s Art Club on channel 4. Very stimulating. If you haven’t seen it, give it a try. The variety of styles and talent is fascinating and it’s not all sophisticated. Anybody can have a go. Art doesn’t have to be professional and accomplished to please.
I hope you are finding lots of enjoyable things to do. With you again in a few days.
Living a contented creative life. 