Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

I think those figs qualify as super fruit, Farway. They look plumper and riper than any I've grown.

YoungBlueEyes said:

So is that Rosemoor growing style just for that particular breed of tom then? Cos I've not been doing mine like that at all, and those look a damn sight healthier than mine! I like the poppies in that pic too but I really like the path

I think they like to mix toms and another warm situation plant to create interest, rather than it being companion planting. Personally, I'd have marigolds. Maybe if blight strikes, they can whip the toms out, leave the aubergines  and pretend the toms were never there!

-taff said:

And peach tree envy is on the cards too, that's impressive! The car problems sound exciting,

We must remember those peaches are very cosseted. In the pic, there's part of a metal frame system they have that  allows the peaches to be covered up on frosty nights. And despite having lots of staff and volunteers, there's still weeds in the nice brick paths. I find that reassuring.

The car was a challenge. We had to get food for visitors, fit in the X ray and do it all in the part of the day that's busiest and hottest. If we could have zoomed around, unhindered, it would have been fine, but every hold-up in traffic led to a boil-up. Mrs Dusty got creative at one point and had our water bottle filled in a solicitors' office! I apologise to all the other drivers I cut up on roundabouts, or when I feigned 'old person confusion' to get to the front of queues! 

Anyway, garage wouldn't test the car in it's steaming state this morning, but they just happened to be cannibalising an old Fiesta they'd cured the same fault on 6 months ago, just before it conked completely. They fitted its virtually new reservoir to our car, refilled the system and then did the test. It passed. People are pretty good like that around here.

While the car was being fixed and tested, I went on a walk to the next village, using footpaths to get there and a lane to return.Thanks to proper signage, I didn't get lost once.

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

Good "bad" news on the car, at least the part should be readily available in any scrapyard should there be one near you, but I think these days you can get scrap bits in the post, no more mooching around piles of cars with bits falling off into your toolbox

The days of scrapyard diving are long past. Elfin safety says 'not allowed.' Elfin safety says nothing about replacing heater solenoids lurking in orifices a double jointed lemur would have trouble with, though!

-taff

There may be some aubergine lurking under the flowers but I've never had much success with them, not even in the greenhouse whereas my cousin [ gnsahing of wailing teefs] has, obviously, iving in Italy...I am jealous every year when they send pics of what they grow, the basil leaves alone can fill your palm. Yes, I expected the peach tree would be cossetted, no one wants to admit defeat when the victorians could do it...Nice to live in a place like that too, all the social connections and honesty [ahem, honesty in the moral treating with each other not honesty as in, what can be safely acquired ]

YBL, you said cheese. Now I must buy some more. I quite fancy a gloopy one now..with some fresh bread, some olives, some prosciutto, omg, look where you made me go! Well, I do like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but obviously not in this case [ oracle wise]. Maybe you can tap her up for cuttings and so on, pull a Dusty - Oh I can't possibly understand cuttings, youll have to show me!] 

I have just severely pruned the front olive in readiness being as my green bin was just emptied. I'm trialling upright courgette growing this year, bamboo canes are strategically placed. The tromboncino have gone mental, as well as the two pumpkins, good job the end of the garden is a sandbox because they've grown over half of it already.

Farway

Wohoo, just picked nearly 700g of Merton Thornless blackberries, a good year at last . Now in the freezer awaiting the apple crop. More berries to follow, luckily they don't all ripen at once.

No more blight spotted on my garden patrol today

-taff said:

What beautiful figs, I'm jealous! Mine are still green, five of them I think but it's growing new ones which is a surprise. The ones from the car park, some of them are showing signs of roots but I think another trip is on the cards, I'm avoiding paying money for things at the moment.

I think my ripe ones are a different variety, no idea what, though. 

I have another tree with green figs on as well. BTW it's common for new baby figslets to appear, once global boiling is settled we will get two crops a year but in the meantime the newbies will have to be removed come winter, they will just rot or sap the plant.

Just leave any less than pea size

YoungBlueEyes said:

Doesn’t surprise me you’ve got a jam funnel Farway, you sound like a capable sort. Have you got a kettle to go with it? There’s limes galore in the shops at the minute, you gonna have a crack at it…? G’wan g’wan g’wan g’waaaan! 

Yep I’ve no doubt it’ll take over that whole corner and strangle everything else out and I’ll not be able to kill it or dig it up properly either. Such is my luck. I can send you (or anybody) some seeds if you fancy trying it? Might taste different in different locations… 

I feel sorry for the wilcos staff too. It’s in administration now it said on the news. So that’s another donkeys years old family run business gone. Such a shame is that. 

Those figs look so tempting, I’ve got a lovely cheese in the fridge that’s go with them. Yum. 

Oooh, thanks for reminding me, so have I, from yesterday's GC Farm Shop, Sussex Brie and Brighton Blue ..

I'll pass on the wineberry seeds thanks, sticking to blackberries and my new Boysenberry

Lime curd making? Undecided on that, a quick duckduck shows Mrs Darlington makes it, and my greengrocer sells their stuff, so maybe I'll ask there first, not "real" as it's factory stuff, but it's a start

https://mrsdarlingtons.com/shop/lime-curd/?v=79cba1185463

PS, Dusty, good news on MOT & repair,

YoungBlueEyes

That’s your dinner sorted taff, and would you do me a plate while you’re at it ha haa! The Oracle is more of a director than a hands on one, her back garden is only little so it’s all paved. Just patio furniture out there, no pots or nothing. Her garden is at the front and she doesn’t do it herself, she has a gardener. 

I only came on to say I’ve broken my Shawshank rule and repotted a thing that I want to force to live. Not sure I’ve done the right thing or just wasted compost. Remember the baby’s breath plants, one white and one red? Well the red one started giving up so I left it, muttering stern words when I walked past it, but it died anyway. That’s the thing I don’t like about gardening, sometimes there is no discernible reason  

Also - doing a Dusty made me laugh  

YoungBlueEyes

Also also I’ve had a go at more pics today. I took pity on His Holeyness and made him a ‘bed’ cos lovely neighbour has kicked him out while he’s battling fleas. Yes that’s an offcut of carpet on a compost bag. No the patio isn’t finished

A pretty butterfly has taken up residence but it’s hard to get a photo. It’s not so deep a colour as my pics make it look, it’s more of a thick peachy hue rather than orangey. 

And 2 more glads are out (Pic of good bits only.)

twopenny

Such a cute photo Bluey and how kind of you.

Oddly my neighbours cat is asleep on my bench out the front. She is so old now, just skin and bone and wants to sleep here. I couldn't bear to see her curled on the curved wooden slats when she's so thin so I've put out a cushion for her. She went back for her dinner and returned. I think it's cooler as it's humid and stifling here even this late,

Got another 2 cherry toms for my dinner....one eaten on the way into the kitchen   Plums for supper (sorry Farway, I would share if you were nearer).

Returned from shopping with 2 packs of tulip bulbs! Poundland have them already. I just feel you can't have too many tulips. I'm a sucker for them.

Your butterfly is a Gatekeeper. That's our local name. Also known as a Hedge Brown but I like the first name better.

I went with walking on the moor with our health impared peeps this morning and saw quite a few butterflies big and small so something is going right with the world.

YoungBlueEyes

Aye His Holeyness is the same, all skin and little bones. He was trying to get comfy on my gravel (I think he's decided he wants to live here again) but the gravel must be so hard to lay on all night. There'd better be a god up there watching this nonsense because I'm more kind to the little s0d than is necessary, especially considering I'm a dog person! You're kinder than I am 2p, a whole cushion to herself?! I hope your one's grateful, unlike mine...

Mmm cherry toms. Some of mine are cherry sized but they're not ripe yet, they're coming in individually. It'd be nice if I got a handful at once cos then I could do something with them but hey ho. Some is better than nothing  

I'll have to swing round Poundland this morning when I'm out food shopping then. I love tulips and daffs, I really do I didn't get any planted last year (well a few in pots that I already had) but I love to see thick swathes of them bobbing about in the breeze. I was going to big town to raid Wilkos, and £land is the other direction, naturally.

Gatekeeper, I like that. It's a beautiful colour but it doesn't sit still for long at all, it took me ages to get those 2 photos. He seems happy enough though so hopefully he'll stick around  

Another warm and sticky morning, high humidity but 'cool' at 18'. I've opened all up cos the breeze is lovely. It's been cloudy all morning too and they say it will be all day, but they said that yesterday...

Dustyevsky

It seems many of us were seeing Gatekeeper butterflies yesterday. I took a photo of one, but I only had my pocket camera, so it's not wonderful or worth the repetition.I did see a gateway I liked, where muted planting and a few pieces of granite (plus a nice existing wall!) had been used to create an interesting, low maintenance entrance, so I'll pop that up soon.

That looks suspiciously like ragwort, Bluey, but your gladioli would make anyone glad. His Holiness has clearly discovered the benefits of meditation. His body might be there on a carpet offcut, but his soul looks like it's somewhere grander!

Meanwhile, continuing with Rosemoor, here's Mr McGregor's garden:

Think I might be out walking later. The inebriates think it will be mainly sunny with a stiff breeze. Circular route, so, it'll be behind us in one direction. Yes, proper route, lots of visibility.....

Farway

Up early & watering my volunteer pots, and noticed loads of butterflies on the buddleias while there. No pics though, the bees were also enjoying the buddleia, so it was worthwhile planting it, from cuttings of course

Looks like blight has crept around to the front patch now , hope I've acted in time to stop spreading. The small cherry toms I grew from West Country seeds are just starting to turn red, may just beat the blight, just a taste would be nice

I'll be having fresh figs & own toms for lunch, sort of ploughman style with the posh expensive GC cheese as well

One of my Bishops's Children dahlias, from seed, has flowered, nothing special TBH, I suppose massed in a big border it would be OK, but one plant in a tub is taking the space of something better, no idea what just yet, but I'll revamp the tub for next year, maybe a trip to £land?

Quite dull but mild, rain wouldn't surprise me, if it doesn't then feed & water the front pots is a job I have to do sometime this weekend