May in the Garden...

Everything just feels like it's flourishing this month - the weather has turned warmer, the seemingly incessant rain we had all through the winter and early spring has finally eased, and things are GROWING!

Picture taken in the semi-dark showing the more "floral" bit of the garden!

The Broad beans are now in full flower and looking stunning - they're a great crop to grow as they do look (and smell) so lovely, as well as giving a welcome early substantial food crop, of course. We've also now built the frame for our other beans to climb up - so that side of the garden will be bean central, this year! MrEH remembered to look at the large Orange DIY shop's garden clearance area when he was in there for bamboo canes, and discovered some rather straggling pea plants for 43p - so those have gone in at one end of the frame and they will either live, or not...

Rescue peas...

We've transplanted the tomatoes into their pots and growbags and found what we hope will be the right locations for those - they seem a bit slow getting going, but hopefully when they properly find their feet (roots?) they will catch up a bit. I also sowed the last few of the Hungarian Black Chilli seeds that we had remaining - these are a lovely mellow flavoured chilli with flavour rather than heat - the seeds were given to us by an old neighbour who grew them a few years ago and to be honest they're probably a bit old - I'm hopeful we might see more from the second sowing, but as things stand we have one solitary little plant! Cucumbers have also been shifted into a growbag.

Tomatoes, chilli, rhubarb & very happy redcurrant!

In the new veg bed, the potatoes popped their heads up early in the month and now seem to be doing very well. The rhubarb also seems to have settled in well. The winner in there so far though is unquestionably the redcurrant - which actually has some fruit forming on it! We didn't expect to get anything from it this year realistically, so that's a nice surprise! Also in that bed now in additional to the stuff mentioned before is Swiss Chard ("Bright lights" - which once it's a bit bigger will look nice and provide useful food!) and pak choi which we've not grown before as far as I can think, so that will be an interesting one. Some calendula have been planted in there too as attractive companion plants, and also a sow of sunflowers across the back - there were six. but something ate one straight through the stem! We're actually really delighted with those - we've not grown them before so it's gratifying that they're doing so well! 

Potatoes peeking through...

In terms of all things floral, the highlight of this month has been the Alliums which are just stunning - I'm so glad that we planted those! The Aquilegia is still going strong too - and the new one in the front is also in flower already which is a lovely surprise too. Also out the front, both roses are now flowering as well, and we're seeing plenty of activity from the various seeds that got scattered, although as yet it's a bit of a mystery what we might be getting, there! The little line of foxgloves appear to be taking over the world - and several of them are now taller than I am, much to MrEH's amusement! (He will be less amused if as I suspect, they overtake HIM, too!)

One of our utterly glorious Alliums...

We’re starting to discover what our problem weeds are going to be now - bindweed which keeps popping up all over the place and is probably the most problematic. Creeping cinquefoil and herb Robert - both st least easy to pull out, even if they are persistent. We’re keeping a beady eye out for any three cornered leek appearing - so far there have been a couple in pots we brought with us so they have been allowed to flower, then had the flowers nipped off and then the bulbs pulled out. 

New veg bed flanked with tomatoes! 

I'm hopeful that the June in the Garden post will be more about harvesting things, and successional sowing, and my basil FINALLY looking like it might eventually provide me with something which will be able to be turned into pesto later in the year!  

Robyn