Priorities

Summer seems to have arrived. I love long sunny days when I get on in the garden after I write from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. with a break for breakfast.

Today the sun shone while I filled two more troughs with John Innes No.3 compost and planted 3 strawberry plants in each. My two year old strawberry plants in the front garden are fruiting well.  This morning I picked a few sun ripened ones that smelled so fragrant that they made my mouth water.

I tidied up the garden, putting odds and ends in the shed. I watered the plants in the greenhouse. I've put tomatoes outside to harden off before I plant them in the garden, and I potted up sweet Williams. By the way the flowers can be added to salads.

I always feel very peaceful when I work in the garden and also appreciate the results. At lunchtime I enjoyed a green salad made with baby lettuce, dandelion leaves, shepherds purse, and chive flowers, which I ate with new potatoes cooked with mint, and dressed with vegetarian mayonnaise and dill from the garden. Delicious with sliced tomato sprinkled with salt, pepper and a pinch or two of sugar, and brie. I really enjoy crisp, freshly picked lettuce which tastes so much better than lettuce from the supermarket.

Mini Peach and Nectarine Trees

The mini-peach and nectarine trees in my garden have flowered. The blossom is exquisite. Yesterday, I pollinated it with a fine paint brush and hope to have delicious fruit.

I also potted up half a dozen strawberry plants - old fashioned favourites called Cambridge, and sowed mustard and cress on damp kitchen towel, and rocket in a pot of compost. As my garden is on the small side, I grow a lot in pots.

Later in the day, I went through the gardening catalogues that arrive regularly in the post and ordered black-skinned tomato plants, which the supplier claims are blight resistant and a variety of sweet potatoes call Beauregard. I also ordered a tool to help with weeding. The bottom part is placed over the weed, the top is pressed down and, 'hey presto' the weed is removed, another press at the top and the weed plops out into a container. Finally, I treated myself to a 3 metre long ruler which helps to sow seeds at the correct spacing. My justification? Mother's Day is approaching and I'm a mother so I decided to treat myself.