May Day

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I love May Day , it always seems as though Sprintime is established and Summer is on the way, and the glorious sunshine today is an added bonus.

My ‘potager’ veg beds are now growing well – although due to the position of the house and overhanging tree some of the shoots are developing a slight list to one side as they head for the light!

Stuff that is planted includes
Bed 1 – Asparagus peas and sweet peas at the back on a low trellis fronted by Spring onions, assorted radishes, mixed salad leaves, nasturtiums, marigolds, calendulas, pine scented thyme, winter savory

Bed 2 – Swiss chard, Kohl rabi, leeks, carrotts, alpine strawberries, white onions, nasturtiums, calendula, french marigolds

Bed 3 – Swiss chard, leeks, yellow courgettes, flowers as bed 1

Arch way between bed 1 / 2 – mange tout peas, sugar snap peas, sweet peas, runner beans

Big pots against willow hurdles – sweetcorn, sweet peas, climbing nasturtiums .

I have mini sunflower (teddy bear) growing in some wellies, as is chives, garlic chives and parsley then my Mayan variety potatoes are going great guns in three recycling bags.

The development of the veg garden has caused loads of interest amongst regular passers by – manyof whom seem to stop for a good nosey every day ( which spurs me on with the weeding and watering). I really need to get a water butt to go at the front as I have only just realised (sometimes I am so slow that the obvious passes me by) that my bathroom window is right above the veg patch and I could easily siphon out used bathwater to water the crops with so much easier than running to the outside tap which is at the back of the house and far more eco-friendly.

I am loving the challenge of the little patch and I will try to remember to take some photos this weekend. The girlies are also keen to taste the different salad seedlings which is brilliant, as I really want to get them eating more salady stuff this summer. They are boh getting interrested in growing stuff and their school is encouraging all the pupils to look at growing food -as they have over the last two weeks had several raised beds put in and have started a gardening club for the older children, the reception class and year 1 have their own little raised bed in their outdoor resource area where I have been informed that they are ‘growing their own lunches.’

Anyway – this afternoon the shool hosts its May Fair – all the children have learnt either maypole ribbon weaving dances or may stick dances to perform in the playground around the school maypole, Key stage 1 pupils will have a fancy dress competition ( my two are a nurse and Fifi Flowertot), the parents association arrange cake stalls (loads of baking done last night), tombolas, raffles, plant stalls (I have my eye on a fab hosta plant – as I dont have any at the moment) games, bouncy castle and tea. Then we all all parade up to the village pub, where the school may queen will be officially crowned and the village Morris dancers and Garland dancers will perform before parading round the village to give a good old pagan fertility ‘blessing’ to the area. It is all great fun and so much the better if it is sunny.

So I wish you all a fertile growing year and healthy crops and flowers!

• 1 May, 2009
• 6 likes

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