Hello Plot No.5

Do you remember that feeling when you were a child and you were told you would be doing something exciting like attending a party, waiting for your birthday or even counting down to Christmas? (Oh my the C word in May!!), well that pretty much is how I have been feeling since I put my name down on 5 different allotment sites 2 years ago. I've watched my number moving slowly up the ranks from in the 30's wondering if it would ever happen UNTIL a chance chat with the chair lady at one of the local sites.

If you could have seen my face during this conversation you would have been equally excited. Even being told it needed a lot of work putting into it didn't deter my excitement. I then went up to see if I could vet the potential plot out and again I felt like a child peering through the tiniest of gaps in the gate. I could see a dream unfolding. I sent a little message to the lovely lady who invited me to go along and have a 'proper' look around (Sunday 22nd April). Well it felt like Christmas eve waiting to go the next day with butterflies building up. 

It arrived and the gate was opened and I was met with this..........................................

THREE sheds, a greenhouse, water butts, compost bins, a wheelbarrow, benches/chairs and stacks of reusable materials. The best part is the very long piece of land that I now get to call my own! Hello Plot No.5 (My lucky number what a coincindence!). What a beauty it is too. 

There is so much potential with this plot. It already has a few established fruit tree's on it along with a lovely little strawberry patch that needs freeing from the weeds and it also has the most amazing patches of rhubarb. I've been getting jealous lately over everyone's posts of their rhubarb crops dreaming of the day I get to share my own. Now I can, albeit with no effort required this year. Sorry to those whose crops are making them resort to Jedi mind tricks!! 

I don't have solid plans just yet for how I am going to turn this plot around into being a productive one but what I do know for definite is that it will be a good mix between crops and flowers more than likely in raised beds and hopefully in good time it will be home to some chickens. The family will also be contributing to creating a haven for us all to enjoy. The main priority now is to get in and give it a good tidy up, clear out as much of the weeds possible and get the sheds and greenhouse functioning well. The main one being the 'Tea Station' seems as though that's the one that is going to keep me and the family fuelled. Priorities right?!

I must say a really HUGE THANKYOU to all those who have spoken to me about it over on social media and have offered their advice already and I know I am in good hands if I get stuck. The allotment/gardening community is by far one of the friendliest, be that those you speak to in person or on these platforms.


If you would like to see the FIRST OFFICIAL TOUR you can head over to my YouTube Channel .

So there you have it, patience really is a virtue. Good things do come to those who wait, even if it is 2 years.

Until Next Time

xNx

Official Allotmenteer 

Six on Saturday

April 7th

Oh my I hadn't realised that February was my last SOS post! Doesn't time fly by when you are having fun. 

I have been quite busy over this time being Mum, Wife, slave to the house and I managed to fit in a fab visit to a local Alpine Garden Society show. Which will start off my Six on Saturday just nicely.

1: My kind of sweet shop!

A visit to a Garden show isn't complete without bringing home some goodies is it?! I opted for this wee little Saxifraga-Peach Melba to care for and I am going to attempt to grow a few different alpines from seed after getting my hands on 5 different varities. I'm looking forward to setting these off and will keep track of progress. 

2: Second chance blooms?

Dahlia tubers are now in and have taken up residence in the greenhouse. I planted some a bit too late last year and only got some green growth so I am hoping by being organised this year I can get some lovely Cactus and Mystery Day blooms to make up for it.

3: Mini Aliens Invade!!

Gosh these are some strange looking corms. Ranunculus are a plant that I always see and cant help but admire its transformation from a tight bud to a full ruffled bloom. I managed to get my hands on a pack of 10 mixed from Wilko's for £2 so it was worth a try. I pre soaked these prior to planting which added to the Alien-ness when potting them up yesterday in the spring sunshine we have been treat to. 

4: Extra Extra!!

This past week has seen me spend some more time in the greenhouse thanks to Spring finally fighting back against Winter. It has helped me focus on what I want to gain from using it this year as a first proper growing season. Extra space is needed! It has shelving and 2 benches but it doesn't really let me maximise my growing potential. Queue an impromptu buy of this shoe rack. Its just a nice size and well, does a blinding job of being able to squeeze some more growing room out of the 4x4 space I have. A little re jig of some pots and stuff in there is still needed and I should be ready to rock n roll in there!

5: Vacancies!

The mini pond has survived its first winter in the garden. The water is really clear in there which I'm putting down to the vegetation I've chosen for it. Sadly no amphibians have made it a home yet but hopefully it wont be long. There is a few snails checking it out and some lovely little swimming bugs but please let the frogs/newts know that its free rent!! 

6: The Grand Finale

I'm not sure about anybody else but I just don't get bored of Hellebores. This 'Tutu' variety was a Mothers day gift from my lovely children. It's a really good size and and had plenty of buds on it back in March and yet still this week I am finding MORE new buds on it. It keeps me company near the greenhouse and I love how it nods in the gentle breezes. I just hope once its finished that it will come back equally as nice in its next season.

So there we have it my Six on Saturday. I really should try and commit to doing this a little more regularly as it really does let you focus and appreciate the progress being made over time. 

Don't forget to go pop over to the  Master In Command of Six on Saturday to check out his and other contributors to what is a lovely movement in gardening! 

Until Next Time

xNx

The Cleveland Alpine Garden Society Show

31st March 2018

My first ever visit.

Ever since my mum grew alpines in her garden when I was a child, I have always had a bit of a 'thing' for them. When I discovered the Alpine Garden Society last year at a local agriculture show I was intrigued as to what they were all about. 

They have been around since 1929 and are one of the largest specialist garden societies in the world! They help with conserving and protecting alpines in their natural habitat and fund conservation projects across the UK and support development in knowledge and skills in the Alpine field. They also have a huge seed exchange scheme which have an enormous amount of variety to choose from. You can find more about them HERE. 

When I found out there was a local show on I decided to pop along and check it out.

On walking in I first came across the plant sales. There really should have been a DANGER/WARNING sign outside! A nice handful of stalls with enticing varieties of lovely alpine plants to take home and nurture them in the hope that you can grow them on to at least some of the standard of the ones on show.

I made my way through to the show hall and again there should be another warning sign of "Don't forget to breathe". The sight of so much colour really hits you in the face (in a nice way of course.) and it made me gasp. The room was lined with tables that were split into classes/groups,Open, Intermediate, Cleveland and Novice. There were lots of varieties of Corydalis, Hepatica, Cacti, and Narcissus to name a few. Many people had travelled from around the country to put forward their pans of beautiful plants. The novice group though sadly had no entries as there isn't any beginners coming through to grow in the show. This saddened me a bit, as a keen novice gardener in general I love the feeling of growing from seed, giving it plenty of TLC for it to repay you back at each stage of its growth. It does require some patience and dedication but if you are willing to do that then you are already on the right path. Has this sparked something inside of me to give it a go?

There were some really truly beautiful specimens of Dionysia and Saxifraga. This seemed a popular entry and whilst they look amazing they require some patience to grow to these sizes. A HUGE pan of Dionysia Aretioides won the best in show prize

One thing I was surprised to see was the amazing pots of  'miniature' Rhododendrons, Conifir's and Pieris'. I never knew they were part of the alpine family!

My favourite section that I really got drawn to was the cut flower section. Four entries of six little shot glasses filled with gravel and dainty little posies of different alpine flowers. They looked fabulous and really showcased the flowers well. I fell in love with the Iris Tuberosa's black and green flowers. So unique and beautiful.

 I got chatting to some lovely local members who took their time to make me feel welcome and to see how I was enjoying the show and explained how not many young people take up membership. A category for Cacti has even been introduced to entice a new wave of growers. A lovely chap, Don Peace who I had chatted to via twitter prior to going was ever so kind to explain about the groups in the show. He takes pictures for the society and has some STUNNING entries in the show too. My favourite of his were the Fritillaria's.

On the whole the show was a brilliant experience. With something for everyone there whether you like to grow alpines yourself or just to like to see some amazing plants I would urge you to visit them. A super friendly society, passionate about growing and preserving you would be mad to miss out. Plus you can get your hands on some society seeds to have a go at growing at home and possibly enter yourself. The cakes and savouries are an added bonus too!

I left with some goodies myself. A lovely little Saxifraga 'Peach Melba' and five packets of seeds, Fritillaria Involucrata, Primrose Marginata, Ranunculus Montana and two Iris'- Latifolia and Vicaria. 

Maybe these will in time become future entries. Watch this space!!

Until next time

x N x

Baby its cold outside

Sitting with my coffee by the radiator watching the snow starting to thaw out there is the feeling of relief that it's finally got the hint it has outstayed its welcome! Don't get me wrong when it first arrived it was lovely to be playing with the kids having snowball fights, building snowmen and sledging at a nearby hill but there comes a point when it starts to become boring and the gardener side of me is screaming inside (I'm sure many of you will be the same!)

Just before the "Beast from the East" reared its ugly head, the garden had started to show signs of waking up from its early winter rest. Even when we have been spoiled with some sunny days the temperatures has still been cold enough to remind you that we have still been in the grips of winter and she isn't going to budge without a fight. 

With spring on the horizon there isn't much that can be done in the garden still quite yet. Apart from keeping up with tidying around and getting greenhouses/sheds organised it's a great time to plan ahead for the coming months with how you vision your green spaces and what seeds you want to sow (a reminder of patience is required). 

I began a few sowing's of tomatoes, chilli's and peppers which surprisingly are doing ok! It's the first time I have grown these from scratch and I was concerned about them becoming too leggy but they have been watched very closely and tended to with lots of care. 

Chilli- Cayenne

Sweet Pepper-Mixed

Tom's- Roma/Delight/Maker

 My plans for now are to just go with the flow (and the weather!) I'm using this cold snap to appreciate the little things and simply take in the lovely space I have to be creative with. Oh and its a perfect chance to just sit in the greenhouse with a hot cuppa! Stay warm everyone☺

My Real View! 
Life at No27 Campaign

Not a gardener without a bit of muck
on the hands & face!

Until Next Time

N xx

Patience Is a Virtue!

I find I am often asked why I like gardening as much as I do. 

What's not to love! The feeling never gets old of seeing hard work pay off, whether it is digging over beds, mowing the lawn, pottering about dead heading plants and of course sowing seeds to either fill your eyes and heart with beautiful sights of blooms that attract nature or being able to pick/dig up scrumptious goodies to devour at the table (if they make it that far!) But what I really love about gardening is that it's the greatest teacher you could have!

Now bare with me on this one it will make sense I promise. 

The biggest and most important thing that can be learned from gardening is Patience. 

For some it doesn't happen straight away ( like me, being super keen to get stuck in!). You have a few successes of something growing well and think "Yes I've nailed it!" And then go charging through all the seed/plant brochures (the temptation when they drop through the letterbox is rather hard to ignore!), visiting the garden centres & nurseries to grab pretty much anything that turns your head. Then it ALL gets sown/planted and your bouncing around like a child in a sweet shop UNTIL............ Pretty much most of it fails to grow past the seedling pots or dies in the ground and you feel like a complete FAILURE! 

Yep that was pretty much me last year haha! Oh how I can sit and laugh now because gardening kicked my over enthusiastic butt and put me firmly in my place. At the time I blamed sowing things much too late (and some I did!) but actually I just didn't plan out what I wanted to gain from growing over the year. I also planted in some plants in not so great spots (skim reading the advice tags)

With my little lesson learnt, this year I decided it was best to sit and have a good sort out of the seeds that have accumulated over the last few years. Some will be donated as I know they wont be used and the rest I can work on what I want from the garden AND more importantly what is going to be achievable for me to keep going. I'm also taking notice of the gardens dynamics. There is something actually quite therapeutic in just sitting and observing your space and really take notice of how the light moves around all its angles. My saving grace this year will be my greenhouse (watch this here to see how happy it made me!). It will allow for me to learn to grow more BUT there is still plenty of time to jump on the sowing bandwagon.

March-June

February-August

February-May

 Its so easy to feel left behind when you see others sowing away and already have seedlings but don't let that put you off. Most seeds/tubers/bulbs etc have a good date range on for when they can be sown by (as can be seen above). We are of course only just at the beginning of February so for some things its still a little early to bust them out the packets just yet. The other thing to remember is some seeds need to be sown little and often to keep a succession of crops/flowers going over the growing seasons. 

Don't be disappointed or put off when things don't quite work out or go to plan. Something that will work one season wont necessarily be guaranteed next season. That's the beauty of gardening, it constantly keeps you on your toes. You cant have success without failure, its how we learn and get by in everyday life too! Take your time, gardening isn't a race. Find what is right for you and your space.

Remember: Good things come to those who wait 😉

Until Next Time

N xx

Six on Saturday- February 10th 2018

Still in the throws of winter it's sometimes too easy to forget the garden is still a wave of activity. Whilst we are busying around doing our everyday jobs and doing our best to keep warm on the really cold biting days, it's lovely to know that there seems to be an air of magic happening right underneath our noses! 

Which brings me nicely on to sharing with you my Six on Saturday.

1: Daffodils.

These are the main signs that spring is on its way in my garden. With a hot cuppa in my hands having a little wander around the garden, the feeling of being stopped in my tracks to uncover the delightful spears of green will never get old! These Daffodils look like they could be their best year yet with a good amount of stems breaking the earth.

2: Honeysuckle- Aureoreticulata

A little afternoon inspection and the kiss of the low winter sun brings Aureoreticulata to my attention. I purchased this last year because of its spectacular leaf detail. A lovely semi evergreen climber which will grace the new trellis frame and put on a great show in the summer with its tubular colour changing flowers.

3: Moss

Moss would never be something that I would ever look that closely to before but now I think I've missed out on this clever little species. Something that can grow by itself with not much needs is a brilliant eye opener to the way nature can be the best survivor to be admired. I also like that its quite a tactile little thing and cannot help fluff it a bit when I spot some growing on the little walls in my back garden. 

4: Shield Bugs

This little fella caught my eye (only just!) when I was having a little tidy up of some leaves and cardboard in the corner of the patio. I first saw a shield bug only last year but when it was fantastically bright green. A clever little creature that turns to brown in the autumn/winter gives it the perfect disguise to hibernate amongst the fallen leaves. Although I will be keeping a watchful eye on the plants once its in full summer mode as they are known to feast on plant sap!!

5: Drumstick Primula

I LOVE seeing this gorgeous plant starting to emerge. I have had this a number of years and it boasts the most wonderful white ball of flowers in the spring. I also like how once its flowered the leaves stay a lovely bright green for a few months that look almost like cabbage.

6: Babies

All together now, Awwww! This wee little baby will one day grow up to be a tomato plant. Seeing this pop up in the little propagator on my windowsill made me squeal with utter delight! Sounds cheesy I know but I cant help be drawn in by the hope it flourishes and stands tall and proud when it matures. Ok I get it I sound like a crazy protective Mum haha but this is one of the greatest little sights that (AGAIN!) never grows old.

There you have it, my Six on Saturday that pretty much is all about new life/beginnings. Make sure to check out The Propagator's Six on Saturday and others over on his Blog

Thankyou for reading

Until Next Time 

N xx