Little helper has flown the coop

Well that's Mum gone back home now. While I was checking on her flight on the BAA site (very handy) I weeded the front garden next to the border, cleared up the daffodil and spring bulb leaves, planted a couple of lavender cuttings that I've been growing for ages, had a quick hoe to fluff up the topsoil and then plonked some pots of nasturtiums in the empty spaces.

Managed to yet again fill the brown bin with tree and privet cuttings that have been lying for the last year (remember the lleylandi ??) so that's the neighbours patio just about cleared now. Don't know why I'm dong that as she hasn't been in the garden since she arrived, but it's nice to be nice I guess.

Mum's talked me into planting some fruit bushes in what is now the onion/garlic square. Am currently sourcing a tayberry plant and some raspberries (as my rasps from Lidls came to nought this year. I can reasonably put one tayberry, 3 rasps, my two goosegogs and one of the currant bushes on the square. Need to clear it of the garlic and onions pretty soon and get it dug and improved, rig up a trellis by the desk ballustrade and put the tayberry in that end. One plant spreads to 5m apparently so I'll only need the one. That should give me enough walkway room through the bushes and will let me get to the far side to cut and weed underneath.

All the lilies are going over now. The white ones (Muscadet and others) have yet to bloom, but by the size of the buds I don't think I'll get anything reasonable out of them this year. I'll lift and dry the bulbs for replanting.

The aubs have plenty of flowers on but none set as far as I can see. The tomatoes resolutely refuse to set. I'm going to be one peed off plot holder if nothing good happens sometime soon.

Peas are fruiting well and just waiting for them to bulk up. Broadies have some more pickable size pods now ready. Courgettes are doing just fine. Get 2 or 3 fruits every couple of days.

Chillies and peppers really need potting up but the ones in the smaller pots appear to be fruiting first, pot bound no doubt.

Fuschias are doing really well, but I do appear to have Prince of Denmark in places that I never realised I'd put them. Diascia (?) is doing well from last year, just starting to bloom now.

Petunias are just going bonkers in the hanging baskets/bags. Nasturiums are just a riot of orange and look so bright and pretty. Sweet peas are being cut regularly and providing plenty of colour and scent. Hestia runner beans are in bloom although they haven't grown all that tall.

Garlic is still busy drying in the shed, along with some Red Baron onions which I pulled the other day. Some strange onion bulbs there, so I'll use those first.

We had a wet weekend, but not torrential. The beetroot seem to prefer the rain to sun. I think we need a bit of sun though just to get everything moving again.

Right that's it from of the top of my head.

Got to go and say goodbye to one of the OH's relatives today. Will be a sad/celebratory affair but there will be another lottie holder there, so we can chat crop successes/failures.

Have a good one folks.

xxx