sunny allotment days

Currently growing at our allotment (unless they've been eaten by slugs/deer/pigeons/rabbits since we left today):

Peas ( a lot - can you overdose on peas in a pod?  We'll hopefully find out soon)
Mange tout
Borlotti beans
French beans (my faves)
Broad beans (no black fly yet)
Runner beans (from John, every year, they are a hundred years old these beans)
Onions
Shallots
Lettuces
Carrots (in three places, surely the rabbits aren't clever enough to find them all?)
Parsnips
Beetroot
Radishes (I always plant hundreds at once and most of them get too chewy - I've done it again this year)
Garlic
Potatoes
Salsify
Scorzonera
Raspberries
Gooseberries (these are getting eaten by small humans already - yuck and leave them alone, I want big ones)
Chard

and then there are the cucurbit family, fighting their way out of our bay window and soon to be planted if the weather stays good...

...today we also saw several frogs, a steam train and five hot air balloons, so all hobbies were catered for in full.

victorian gardening

I've been looking through a fantastic book filled with gardening tools from days gone by, strange pointy things which look beautiful but which we somehow manage without these days.  Lots are still very much needed however, but are now often not quite so stylish as their handmade older relatives.  Some just sound painful and are not for the squeamish...

there is always room...

I have an allotment - that is where I should grow food.  I have a teeny tiny back garden at the back of a terraced house and two energetic children -  that is where they should play when we are at home...

Today, I 'accidently' planted 10 tomato plants (with another 10 waiting for hanging basket space).  I'm sure they won't take up much space when they are fully grown....

...and I couldn't help but put out another tub of salad leaf seeds to replace these when they go over soon...

...and I don't think I ever did get round to pruning the giant black elder bush that the previous owners planted in a much too small garden (maybe because I want the flowers and then berries for a bit of cordial?) - so along with currants, plums, cherries, strawberries, kiwi fruit and quails there is not much ground left for playing on - lets hope they've had a busy day at school - gulp.