Good to be able to duck under cover of the hot-house when more rain started up. This image of the waterfall was taken from a height and from behind the water:
As I catch up with a backlog of writing going back to May, here are some photos of the RHS gardens in Wisley, Surrey, a wonderful haven of a place. This was my first visit, and it was long recommended and long due. We visited at a time when there had been a lot of rain, and it was quite atmospheric to see all the leaves a-glisten with clear, bright, wet drops of water. Now it's been so long since the visit, what with being so busy, I forget the names of the plants and flowers. I plan to go back with notebook, and sketchbook too. Good to be able to duck under cover of the hot-house when more rain started up. This image of the waterfall was taken from a height and from behind the water: I marvelled at this Who-inspired flower name: I've seen some of these flowers in gardens round where I live, so it's nice to know the name now. 'Mark E Smith Woz Here' ? This little sign, I can't explain, though :
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Surbiton library is one of the most astounding library buildings inside and out I have visited. If the art-deco style train station you alight at in Surbiton impresses you, then the walk up the hill is well worth it to be invited in to this library. I like that the library is not on the main high street and instead stands detached, in a haven of quiet, surrounded by greatly lush greenery. This is a traditional civic building that is grand and awe-inspiring like libraries should be. Majestic light pours in through the ceiling panes: The shelving is my favourite mahogany wood, old style. The variety of stock displays and promotions had a lot of creative thought put in. Art deco style writing in the Staff Recommends section: A healthy number of independent shops in Surbiton, it was good to see. Nice cafes and the odd brilliant old pub too.
The grand train station: I recommend a visit to the ICA before September, to catch the exhibition about Tove Jansson. Wonderful array of photos of the artist at work and at play, including her island life. Lots of shots also of early editions of Moomins books. Really heart-warming, and inspiring. I really recommend any of Tove Jansson's general fiction books, as I think those are not as widely known as the Moomins (beloved as they are). The short stories she wrote, and The Summer Book, in particular, have such a calm pace, and lovely curious feel to them - really enjoyable to read as I can't think of another writer who captures such fine pace and tone, often set amidst dreamy environs.
The first courgette...! I cut off the great fruit and held it aloft, as if it were a champion trophy, I was so excited at the discovery! Since there have been pests gobbling up my various squash plants, and only two plants out of six or seven survive, it was the nicest sight to come along and see, after a bit of absence from the plot. Duly grilled and served with mint in a Sunday roast dinner last weekend! Also introducing my first ever nasturtium flower! Not had success growing these in the past, so gladdened to see these bright orange petals. If more come along, there might be an interesting salad to be had, as petals are edible. Potato plants, doing brilliantly - flowering already. Broad bean plant growing healthily, tall. Mustard seeds have grown copiously. Glad because they are my way of combating the growing of weeds. They feed nutrients into the soil as well as covering it, border-style. It's so cheap at 99p for a big pack - got mine from eBay! Allotment pals - stripey yellow and black caterpillar! Along with birdsong and the presence of cats or foxes, little moments like hearing and watching bees merrily pollinate your growing garden are what make all the time commitment and seriously hard graft worth it. It's also just so good to see bees around, doing as bees might, since they are facing such threat. Hopefully more updates to come, as I've been sad to not have feasible chance to keep up with blogging in recent weeks.
With quite an absence from blogging, I shall just let these photos speak about the progress of my allotment! And just a reminder of the Before photo in May...!
The heat and being busy with other things has made it hard to keep up with my allotment. I won't let my initial enthusiasm fizzle out, though. I am still keen and determined to get the plot into a clear state, and plant lots of good things. Luckily, the burden of watering is being shared with me and another plot-holder, we're helping each other out, which is nice. I am excited to report potato progress! I know to the casual observer/non-gardener, this doesn't seem like a great deal, but the first time I saw the first little potato shoot, it was a big day for me...! It ended curiosity and fear - it meant I hadn't messed up - delicious, homegrown food is a likely outcome! I've been worried about potato blight with the switch between the wet and the hot, dry weather. And as the first photo shows, there was a bit of purple shade on the leaves to start with. All gone now, though. So these wonderful things look very healthy, and there is more than just the one plant now, lots across the patch! You realise how strong these plants are, actually - even just a slight touch shows just how sturdy and hardy they are - perhaps the strongest of plants? It's amazing. There is a sense of nurture to growing things, you feel so proud, and so excited that you created this living thing from scratch, all on your own - even when it is not new to you. I have been enjoying the solitude and quietude that I sometimes get at the plot. Some afternoons and evenings are deserted, and I can play music from my phone (I will get a digital radio one day, hopefully) and I can perfect my reverie. On these occasions, I feel elated and who needs a music festival, when I can toil and tend the earth with my own soundtrack, with birdsong in the mix, and I feel at peace with everything. This allotment is one of the best things ever, and only when you try it, do you feel similarly ecstatic, I think (I think all citizens should have access to their own plot of land, in which to grow food, incidentally, for so many positive, wonderful reasons). Current situation with weeds on the other half of the plot - up to my shoulders, nevermind weeds up to me knees! Results at top right, far end, of the plot, after I got stuck in! - In fact, I got a bit carried away. I cleared the whole corner, as I didn't want to wait till another visit (all those bus fares): In the foreground, the raised bed of courgette plants. Three of the four I planted survive. But, realistically, I can tell which is the strongest of the set and this one will survive them all (pictured on top left). I decided to scatter a few patty-pan seeds (yellow, circular variety of squash, incredible vegetable that is not for sale in supermarkets, a little hard to find, and I have adored it since I discovered it via my first allotment in 2008 - where people used to sell the homegrown plants outside their house, near the allotments!). I must also just report my excitement that the nasturtium seeds I scattered hopefully at back of the raised beds are actually coming through a bit! Excuse the excitement here, but I really want flowers to grow alongside my veg! I want the bees to feel very welcome for our mutual benefit. I'm not going to berate myself for taking a few days off now, as I know that I have June, July, August to really get going with this plot. Peas, broad beans, onion sets, all sorts of flowers and salads await!
The edge of my allotment plot has been tidied up considerably! It's quite fun hacking at grass that's as tall as your shoulders. I bought pruning shears (nevermind spending my wages on new album releases - gardening equipment is where it's at now, for me!). It's damned hard work, especially in heat. But another plot-holder was about, doing the same, and we chatted in between our work. Halfway through the evening, a nearby plot-holder came over with a parcel of freshly picked berries from their plot for us to eat! So kind! They tasted so richly juicy and good - strawberries and raspberries. Just before I packed up, another gardener in our midst was weaving their way through the plots to get at some elderberry trees. He was picking them for the incredible champagne you can make with them. That stuff is out of this world. I wouldn't mind cooking up my own. I'll invest in a step-ladder to pick off the flowers if I have to - fruity booze, please! I planted a fourth courgette plant, then watered my three slug-ravaged courgettes and no-show potatoes before heading off. After all my hard work, I returned home, to cook a roast dinner, and the ice cold cider I had waiting for me in the fridge was so hard-earned, and so good to sup.
Just partaken in a zine swap with artist Lil Ashton. Since there is so much joyful, giddy fun to Lil's work, I sent my zines out to her wrapped up in an offical Russ trolls envelope from the 1990s, that I had rooted out from my childhood bedroom. I taped up the package in Snufkin Moomins tape that I acquired last week...! I just had to post photos of Lil's delightful parcel that she sent me: Tiny gem stones and stickers and and a badge spilled out of the package, as well as postcards and zines. Yes, that is a zine about Jarvis Cocker! I love that Lil draws Jarvis with bottles of Lambrini, and then going to sleep in a banana skin bed....! Nice postcards... Great cartoon characters in band t-shirts (another character is pictured in a Dolly Mixtures band t-shirt!)
Our kitchen is now a greenhouse... I'm sure one day I will build my own greenhouse on my allotment plot, but for now - I'll live with this chaos of plants! Just spent the morning potting on tomato seedlings into their own individual pots. I counted 58 plants... I love potting things on, such good fun, and a lovely and relaxing way to start the weekend. I've got my 'magpie' tendencies back. Any old objects or junk or potential rubbish, I think how it could be used in the garden. Cut off half a Tetra Pak juice carton and you've got a free plant pot: I'm getting ready for a village fair. I'll miss most of the event this year due to another event I've committed to, but I thought it'd be nice to grow some tomato plants and donate them. Parents should love these plastic cups I have put them in - easy and light to transport home, and to get the plant out and put into a new, bigger pot, plus a nice size for kids of any age. These were old party cups, probably from Poundland and you get about 100 per pack for £1! Here are some of the plants I am going to donate to the fair. Should raise good money for green community groups that do good work: I'm enjoying the rain watering my allotment for me. I miss the plot though - hope to get down there tomorrow night...
My allotment buddy! She greeted me the very first time I opened the gates, and she's often around, keen to leap up with her (claws out!) paws, so high and happy. I'm happiest on the days I find she's around! It was high time (literally) that I transplanted my courgette saplings, as they were growing (in my house) towards my bayview window, leaves in paw-like fashion, as if clawing to shout 'Let me Out!' - So I did: Planting potatoes on the plot was also long-awaited. Having got my allotment in early May, I had missed the planting of the first crop of potatoes. But seeing potato seeds still in the shop, and even hearing the allotment committee pronounce it 'too late' to plant potatoes, I felt unwavered. Seasons are funny and late in this era, and anyway it only takes potatoes between two and three months to harvest. So I let the late-bought seeds shoot away in a dark cupboard (they seem to do as well in dark as in light), and I took advantage of the first spate of dry weather all week. Digging potato trenches on the plot (is bloomin' hard graft!): I felt quite awake of a Saturday morning to be digging a couple of foot-deep trenches in the prepared soil. Phew! Planting is really one of the best bits of gardening - watering gently in, hoping and waiting like a proud parent... Sudden appearance of poppies on the plot! See the snugly, happy bee getting drunk on pollen on the left, a lovely sight:
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AthemauraEnthusiastic about 'zines, libraries, gardening in the city, independent book shops/record shops/cafes, vegetarian and vegan, London in all its variety, local living/community. Archives
November 2014
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