It's A Good year For .........

[darkazana 1,736]

Just popped down from Scotland for another flying visit home and am amazed at how well the apple trees are looking this year. Just hope they stay on the tree long enough for our return in October as I don't have enough time at the moment and I don't think they are ready yet, but hopefully a bumper crop and enough to share with the blackbirds and fieldfares over the winter.

[Beefsteak 305]

My Strawberries did well this year, very big and juicy. Blackberries are very early, we've been picking them since the beginning of the month (maybe even the end of July) we don't normally harvest them till the kids go back to school in September. Unfortunately they've also run riot around the garden this year. I planted a few lettuce and the ones the slugs didn't get did ok.

The buddleia is absolutely snided in butterflies this year and has been for weeks !

And this years Elderflower Champagne is going to be a vintage......................................... Well the 4 pint milk bottle full, that we had to have within a fortnight of brewing as it was ready to blow, suggests that it will be !!

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

Bit of a strange year in the garden. With the cold start it didn't bode well, then a complete turn around. Both freezers are full to bursting with goodies to last until next season.

Colin

[darkazana 1,736]

Yes the Buddleia was covered in butterflies this evening, and the mint, some tiny frilly butterflies, will have to look them up when I get back to Moffat. Missed out on our strawberries, but did make some elderflower cordial earlier. It is lovely. Looking forward to getting back here fulltime to start on the apple and mint jellies, chutneys and stock up on apple and rhubarb pies and crumbles for the freezer to see us through the winter. Our blackberries are not ready yet though, and hopefully the sloes will be nearly ripe by October. Had a good crop of onions too, but my garlic has come to nothing this year.

[Cliff Ton 10,479]

Blackberries all the way along the canal paths and the footpaths around here. People have already collected shed loads, but there are just as many still on the way.

And you can hardly see the buddleia for butterflies.

[LizzieM 9,514]

Have sold my Dad's house and the new folk move in this weekend so I went scrumping this afternoon! There's a great apple tree in the garden, no idea what variety it is but the apples are lush. I think they must be ready because already there are a lot on the floor. I've left plenty for the new owners and only had a carrier bag full ........

[Beefsteak 305]

You'll have to send me a recipe for mint jelly Darkanza,, We love the stuff, unfortunately it's all bought here , as the Mint went when i put in the kids 'soft play' seven years ago . It still manages to put up a sprig each year but it get's chopped down on the first lawn 'haircut'.

[jackson 301]

Beefy, if I was lucky enough to have mint sprouting - even on the lawn - then I'd cultivate it; mint can be very temperamental!

Let's see now what's been good in my garden this year?: the two buddleias have put on a magnificent show, not only with their blossoms of purple and mauve but with their frequent inhabitants the butterflies and bees.

Seeing butterflies, dipping, darting and dancing around my garden makes me feel so happy.

The fruit orchard hasn't done badly: my golden pears are bountiful and one of my 6 apple trees is weighed down with healthy looking fruit to look forward to.................

[mick2me 3,033]

I've always been partial to bountiful pears

[poohbear 1,360]

First time I've planted potatoes for years...It's a pleasure digging up my own spuds..big 'uns too.Each King Edwards plant is providing several good meals.

Leaves are riddled with holes so I expected loadsa nasties in the spuds,but up to now only one with a yukky in it...all the rest look like they've come straight out of a village fete...Magic!