How are you, friend?

I don't usually let a year go by without mentioning and championing the annual mental health awareness week. However, this year I have been suffering myself ironically and haven't been able to write about the allotment or even the allotment patio. My depression has been heavy, anxiety unbearable at many points and I just don't feel engaged.

Even though it's getting like a lush jungle out there, I haven't even taken a photograph or a good look at things until 5 mins ago.

I must say though that many things are going great with our plants. Everything especially in the patio where most predators ( bar the snails) are yet to know about the tasty foodstuffs. OK our turnips and spinach seem to be bolting and the wild winds on Friday/Saturday hurt the leek seedlings but there's little to complain about. Also, I'm not sure why but all the spring onions are growing droopy - I don't mind it and they look yummy but it's odd....

leeks which bounced back, the many broad bean flowers, bolting spinach, droopy scallions

*******

I've been hiking around where we live with Andrew and Toby. Yes, there are very few footpaths but we are loving the exercise that we would usually have to wait for the weekend to do. Boy we have found some beautiful places... How glorious it is to see wild strawberries, gorse, bluebells, ferns, violets, sheep and even horses and donkeys.


I hope you know that wherever you are, whatever you're feeling these days, it is valid. If your thoughts are negative please talk to someone you trust. If it comes to it talk to me, my lovely.

Hugs
Carrie
xx

The allotment patio

Hello, gorgeous people! *waves* and welcome to this special outdoors blog post live from my patio :) I sit here with a coffee in the sunshine with Toby and Andrew (who is working from home).

I hope you are well and keeping safe and sane in this weird quarantine period. It's actually not that bad really, is it? We have to stay at home with our TVs and books and blankets to do battle with this horrid virus. It could be a lot worse I guess. (OK I know it's Hell for some and I'm sorry xx)

So the mini allotment here is growing really well and I so happy to see the seedlings everyday slowly getting bigger and stronger in the mini greenhouse. The ones that are planted out are looking great and personally I would like to have these vegetable pots and flower pots every year - it looks so lush and green out here!

Beside me we have growing cabbages, coriander, radishes, turnips, spinach, beetroots, potatoes, leeks, spring onions, carrots, broad beans and peas! We came up with a fab idea for the potatoes in fact (I'm sure others have thought of this before but it excites us) - putting them in pots as usual and growing multi plugs of spring onions on top = a champ pot ;)

The first crop of radishes will be ready in a about a week - they are so rewarding to grow, I'd forgotten all about them over the past years but you get a crop in no time at all and they are so pretty. We have a heck of a lot so it's just as well we like their feisty peppery taste.

I have also just noticed that the broad beans have tiny flowers appearing and the mangetout peas are starting to cling unto the trellis behind them - you notice every little detail everyday instead of every week and it's utterly charming. I recommend this to everyone if you have even the smallest outdoor space - pots, grow your veg in pots and you can even add colour with marigolds!

I'm also noticing more of the joyous springtime changes that happen in the garden too. Since the start of the week the beech hedge has become greener every day, dropping its brown leaves and letting the new green leaves unfurl - its beautiful. The acers and the maple leaves are opening like paper fans and god grief there are so many hover flies and bees - I never noticed before - oh and the bird song!

Tulip pots -

 We've already had a beautiful flush of daffodils and after these blooms there are alliums to come.

Things continue at the allotment plot too but I'll save that for another post.

What's happening with you these days?

Virtual hugs 

Carrie