Garden update

It seems a while since I have updated the progress in the garden. Probably because with all the rain we've had just lately little has been done and everywhere is beginning to look a little battered by the weather.

At the weekend most of the boundary hedges were cut, making it look tidier.Still one side to do but I think we are safe from disturbing any nest this late in the year. It has been a very good year for nesting, many birds managing to rear two if not three broods...there seem to be fledglings of all breeds everywhere. I have even heard the skylark singing over the past few days, we missed it last year.

Back to the garden. We dug the last of the first earlies( Swift) at the weekend, after a disappointing start they improved but not enough for us to grow them again next year.Leeks have been transplanted in their space.
We have had several good pickings of broad beans, with still a few more to come. We will probably strip the plants next time, freeze the extra and cut the plants back.

The lettuce keep coming, enough for us, the hens and turkeys! Spring onions,carrots and beetroot are in continuous supply with more following on.There looks as if there are enough french beans for the first picking in the next couple of days. The runner beans are just starting to set, as are the cucumbers and courgettes ( we seem to have an awful lot of male flowers on the courgettes this year)

In the greenhouse the tomatoes are taking an age to ripen, although I think they are now just beginning to turn.They have fruited well except for 'Big boy' I don't think I'll grow that kind again.
The peppers plants are laden and a few of the fruits are big enough to pick green. I would like to leave some to ripen as they are the multicoloured kind. The aubergines are growing well but no flowers as yet.

None of the veg. I tried growing in pots have been worthwhile, except for baby leaf salad.

The flower garden takes care of itself, to a degree. This year I bought an old fashion strain of sweet pea, mostly for the scent - a real disappointment. I expected to get small flowers with few on the stem, which I did ! but I did expect the scent to compensate, sadly not. As with all gardening there is always next year !