The Kitchen Garden Blog

Spring Open Day

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Thu, 08 May 2008 22:57:00 +0000

It is true that we all got drenched just as the gates opened, and then it remained threatening but not actually raining, until the sun came out brightly - just as we shut the gates on the last visitors.

But: the keen plant seekers were still queuing at the gates for the best seedlings and were rewarded with many excellent quality, competitively priced and unusual plants. Where else can you browse through so many varieties of mint – lavender mint, ginger mint, orange mint, apple, pineapple, English lamb… all lovingly potted up through winter by the strict Mint Monitor. Herbs, flowers, vegetable seedlings surplus to requirement were snapped up.

The garden looked fabulous, though we say so ourselves, although it is early in the season and it will get even better. The tulips were lovely, held back by the cold and the wet, and all looked neat and full of promise. The treasure trail through the sodden forest was busy, storytime by popular demand starred the Gruffalo, and weet pea wigwams were woven by the brave (and we have a couple of extra ones to sell now, if anyone needs one).

The Bee Man showed off his hive and sold his special local honey, which is not only one of the tastiest in town, but also has, it is rumoured, special anti-allergenic properties for hayfever sufferers from the same locality as the bees. And let’s not forget the Breadshop, who have – along with the Bee Man – been to every single Kitchen Garden opening. They are always first to arrive for set up in the morning , and they always spend the first hour scratching their head over the gazebo, but they are still the first to be ready when everyone else is panicking. And they have a special place in our affections because, every week, rain or shine, all through the year, the Breadshop – based on Chiswick High Road, but with a few select branches throughout London - supply our school sessions with free loaves of their extremely delicious bread to accompany the salad picnics or soups that the school kids devour after their work sessions in the Kitchen Garden.

Open Day Sunday 27th April, 1-5pm

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:48:00 +0000

A rare opportunity to visit one of London’s rare working kitchen gardens this Sunday. Only open to the public on three occasions this year.

A chance to buy interesting plants - unusual herbs, vegetables and cutting flowers – 14 different types of mint, thymes, artichokes, etc.

Have a go at willow weaving, plant a pea or a bean planting, do a treasure trail in the magic forest. Stalls include fresh bread, local honey, aloe vera products and refreshments.

Entrance free.

Lizzie Slater, 29 June 1956 - 5 April 2008

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 10:30:00 +0000

The Kitchen Garden was much saddened at the death of Lizzie Slater whose funeral was held yesterday.

Lizzie and I first became acquainted in Budgens a few years ago where we stood and blocked an aisle for 40 minutes and bemoaned the fate of our local park, Chiswick House Grounds. Lizzie began to try and extract information from the authorities about their plans for the future, but she soon became an integral part of the Kitchen Garden project itself.

Every Thursday, rain or shine, a different class of schoolchildren attends, and for the last two years Lizzie was one of the main helpers at these sessions. Her speciality was potatoes – first planting them and then digging them up, with the children. If I could explain that we have 25 different varieties this year, you will understand that this is no small task. I could in fact assign Lizzie to any job, knowing that the kids would have fun, would learn a lot, and that the job would be well done. I gave a talk to Kew last month on our educational work, and I used an image of Lizzie with her group of kids planting away to show best practice.

She often commented that walking round Chiswick now kids would acknowledge her, particularly noting her curly hair – Frizzy Lizzie - and remembering the good time they had had digging in the garden and chatting to her.

On Kitchen Garden open days, Lizzie’s first task was to draw an artistic and baffling treasure trail for the kids to follow in the magic forest. Then her job was to police the maze, which she did with the same combination of humour and firmness that she used while working with the kids.

The other job Lizzie took on was running the little plant stall in the café. Her flower arrangements were particularly successful. She would pick the ingredients, say dahlias and verbenas, and then spend quite a bit of time making the bunches really beautiful.

The last Thursday, the day before she died, Lizzie had a lovely day. We got to the garden about 10 and we stayed there until gone 3. She sowed seeds, potted up angelica seedlings, and a few of us sat in the sun and chatted, and we were happy. When we left, Lizzie took chard and kale for herself, and for her neighbour. Lizzie found a haven and a respite in the Kitchen Garden.

The Kitchen Gardeners will miss her, on a personal and on a practical level. The garden is heaving with plants that Lizzie tended, and the greenhouse is bursting forth with seedlings – nasturtiums, melons, kohl rabi - that Lizzie sowed. We hope to get an olive tree for the centre of the herbal maze in her memory. It is terrible that she will not be there to see the spring, but she will be very much missed and very much present.

Karen Liebreich
Friend and Kitchen Garden co-ordinator

If anyone would like to contribute towards Lizzie's olive tree, please get in touch.

BBC's Jelly the Frog comes to film

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:21:00 +0000

Spring is sprung and we have had some glorious days – and one or two really nasty cold wet ones, usually when one of the toddler groups has been visiting. Seeing their little hands all frost-bitten as they try to dig in a howling gale, sometimes makes us wonder if we are being too tough on them. But then, again, they each went home with a planted pea in a pot, and apparently they are all happy and want to come again, so I guess we were not tough enough.

The early potatoes are in, the broad beans are growing away, the first rows of parsnips and carrots have been sown. Heaps of leaf mould and compost have been enthusiastically barrowed around the gardens by wobbly learner drivers. This week we started to sow all the tender stuff in the greenhouse – aubergines, chillis, tomatoes…

Wildlife ‘pond’

We have ‘acquired’ a large water tank that was in danger of being demolished, and some frog spawn has been rescued from the jaws of the ducks in the lake, another blob from a drying-up puddle, so we plan to install some kind of rough and ready wildlife pond this weekend. We hope to build up some logs rescued from the tree felling in the park to create a happy frog paradise around the tank, and camouflage it a bit; perhaps we will plant the resulting structure with some alpines that we have been donated. Hopefully this will be done on the April drop-in session.

Famous visitor: A frog named Jelly...

A propos, frog paradise, Jelly - who is a fluorescent green frog puppet - from Cbeebies (BBC digital children’s TV) came to visit the garden to do some filming. This meant little to those of us who are over five years old, but it turns out Jelly is a big star… Some children from St Mary’s came to help Jelly plant potatoes, spinach and peas, and the Kitchen Gardeners tried very hard to talk with a straight face about vegetables to a chatty frog puppet. The episode should be transmitted next year (!) and we will of course be boasting about it nearer the time. Congratulations to the children who had to barrow their load past the camera so many times that the worms in the compost got quite dizzy.

Dukes Meadows wildlife garden
The plug plants that some of the kids planted up in autumn have been transferred up to the new wildlife garden in the old paddling pools, and planted up by Cavendish school. They don’t look like much yet, so if anyone is up there, don’t play on them! Hopefully there will be a lovely meadow up there soon. Many thanks to Barretts for providing the subsoil, and to Burleys – the park gardeners – for transporting the plants over. And of course thanks to all the kids, under the firm direction of Nicky Milligan, for all the planting.

Park news

Tree cutting has finished for now, in order to let the birds get on with some nesting. The camellia shrubbery in particular, and the far bank of the lake saw quite a bit of felling. The archaeologists are moving in next week to check out the area that is to be covered by the new café, which was the old stable area, and part of the volerie (bird garden) of Lady Burlington (opposite the current café). Otherwise all is waiting on the appointment of a new site director, and the start of works, initially around the access yard (behind the conservatory).

Duke of Edinburgh Awards

These have been held on alternate weekends, but are about to switch to Mondays after-school. If anyone can’t make the after-school sessions, they can continue with the monthly drop-ins, along with some additional help, for instance at the Open Day.

The team is very strong this year (well, there are lots of them, anyhow) and they have cleared ivy and brambles from a row of elderberry trees, with some finishing touches from some muscular Belmont school parents, so we hope for elderberry champagne and cordial later in the year. Then the teenagers were dragged through bushes backwards in the undergrowth of the northern garden to retrieve useful bits of wire, and emerged tousled but triumphant.

Spring news

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:27:00 +0000

Everything is looking very shipshape in the garden, all mulched and trim and weeded ready to crack on as soon as the temperature warms up. This year the borders along the central axis will start off with wallflowers – they were supposed to be ruby red, but one or two are already showing yellow, so who knows. The weeds are under control, the kids have been digging and mulching, putting leaf-mould over the potato beds ready for the spuds to go out immediately after St Patrick’s Day. The greenhouse is already bursting with seedlings and chitting potatoes and the children have started sowing peas and lettuce. The broad beans and sweet peas are already germinating nicely, and the sweet pea wigwams and cordons, along with the potato and bean structures should be built over the next couple of weeks. Black and redcurrant cuttings have been struck, the chives divided up…. The first tulip just opened up this week, which is a bit early, but it seems to be the only one. Roll on spring.

Fundraising
Our search for funds to enable us to afford a salary to help run the Kitchen Garden has got off to a flying start with a very generous donation from the Hintze Family Foundation. We are very grateful to them for getting us off the starting blocks. Anyone else – or any other company – keen to get involved in our very worthwhile project, we would love to hear from you.

Specialist vacancy filled, more available
We had been advertising for a new team member - we started by requesting a sweet pea expert, and then decided to settle for an enthusiast instead, so welcome on board to David. We expect him to be promoted to expert by the end of the season.
If anyone else has a particular passion (particularly if accompanied by knowledge or a willingness to acquire it) for any kind of fruit, vegetable or cutting flower, please let us know. With the more time-consuming plants it is helpful to have a dedicated person responsible for overall care. So our Sweet Pea Person joins our Lemon Lady, Tomato Man, Mint Maniac, Bean Bod, The Propagator and Compost Queen on the ‘specialist’ ‘staff’. The rest of us remain Jacks of All Trades (and of course the specialists are allowed – encouraged - to do other jobs too).

Pig person required
We are vaguely thinking about borrowing a couple of pigs to help clear the northern walled garden, which is to be a grassy orchard. If anyone has specialist porcine knowledge or knows where we can rent-a-pig (and especially an ark/shed and electric fencing), we would like to find out more.

Open day, plant sale, Sunday 27 April, 1-5pm
Make a note now, we will remind you nearer the time. We should have lots of plants and seedlings, herbs, many different varieties of mints, all home-grown. Also art and children’s activities, and a tea and cake stall. All the proceeds of course going directly back into the garden.

Park news
The project has begun, and over the last week parts of the park have begun to ring out to the happy sound of chainsaws as the first tree felling gets underway. There is a rush to finish the first tranche before 1 March when the birds are booked to start nesting preparations.

Toddler session

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:16:00 +0000

Successful, but stressful.

All through the winter

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:19:00 +0000

All year long the Kitchen Garden has been worked on by weekly school parties. In February it was the turn of East Acton Primary, who mulched the wallflower borders, shovelled compost, dug over the beds, and planted out stocks and spinach for food and beauty later in the season

First Work Session of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Rabin) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:36:00 +0000

We kicked off 2008 with a dig on Sunday 6 Jan, and around 20 people joined in to enjoy the fine weather and/or fight the Christmas excesses.

Work Sessions are held every first Sunday of the month, check the Visiting page for details of these and also of the Tuesday drop-in sessions.

Gardeners World and Telegraph Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:03:00 +0000

Article in the Saturday Telegraph magazine, 3 November 2007:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/11/03/sm_chiswickhouse.xml&page=2

Gardeners' World featured us in February 2007. Check it out on you-tube:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kM2vHqn45xg

November's edition of Garden Answers Magazine has a 4-page special devoted to our Kitchen Garden and it makes us – well, our gardens - look absolutely gorgeous.

Garden news

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:01:00 +0000

Payment in pumpkin
Our two biggest pumpkins weighed as much as a couple of plump children.
Pumpkin A was 5stone 9oz/33kg guessed by Lara Farrell.
Pumpkin B was 5 stone 2oz/36kg guessed by Tom Campbell
Both together weighed 69kg which was guessed by Astrid Hilne
They all win an afternoon’s digging. We divided up the biggest pumpkin and shared it out amongst the workers; it was too big for any one cooker or freezer!

Sweet pea person needed
Last year our sweet peas were completely rubbish. The year before they got away from us with their over-exuberance. We would very much like to grow them properly next year. So if you know about sweet peas, or if you would like to hone your rudimentary skills – you could not do worse than us last year – please step forward. Just as we have a Tomato Man, a Lemon Lady and a Compost Queen, we would very much like a Sweet Pea Somebody to join the team. If you are not the one but know someone that we can beg to help us, please put pressure on them, or give us their details so we can…
Email info@kitchengarden.org.uk

Wellington boots - the Duke would approve
We had a good response to our welly request and the new donations got their first outing yesterday when several of the children turned up in sparkling trainers and we were able to offer them something more suitable. We could still do with some more, so if anyone has any unused Wellington boots please email us. We now have a Welly Collection Service around Chiswick, so if you email with your address and leave them on your doorstep they will be picked up (thank you Helen).

Garden progress
We have now cleared most of the dahlias and eaten the last of the cabbage. We still have a school visit every Thursday, and for some reason every Thursday has been brilliantly sunny and lovely. They have enjoyed picnics of sumptuous pumpkin and sage soup (thank you Amanda) with salad, spring onions and sage flowers, served with slices of the Breadshop’s Power Loaf (thank you Breadshop!)

Over the last few weeks we also potted up 2,000 tiny wildflower plugs to go in the new meadow which will replace the derelict old paddling pools over at Dukes Meadow in the spring. We planted out wallflowers down the centre of the garden to form a Ruby Red stripe, and the winter crops of purple kale, leeks, brussel sprouts and chard are looking good.

In the main greenhouse the peppers and lemon grass are hanging on, the pineapple sage is still fragrant. Our Sparmannia africana, usually a controlled house plant, has leapt its pot and turned into a spectacular thug about 15ft tall and at least as broad. But we forgive it for its flowers. A huge yucca that was donated to us in a leafless dessicated state (you know who you are.. but thank you, you should come and see it!) has recovered and thrown out a huge spike of white flower. In the little greenhouse the lemon trees are all snug and happy. Greenhouse number three has a heated section where we are trying to protect some of the more tender plants (too late for the African violets, RIP). And the main part of the greenhouse is currently filled with dahlia tubers and seeds drying out, and mint cuttings, so come the spring we should have many different varieties of mint – from ginger, through pineapple, pepper, silver, apple…

Drop-in work sessions, Tuesdays 10-3.30pm
Aimed at those who would like to do some quiet gardening, everyone welcome. Just turn up and find Alan.

Duke of Edinburgh Awards
Teenagers are welcome to join this scheme at any time of the year. These are run on alternate weekends through the winter and after-school during spring/summer. Email to find out more or turn up on one of the weekend D of E sessions.
Sunday 6th January 1-4pm
Saturday 19th January 11am - 2pm
Sunday 3rd February 1-4pm
Saturday 16th February 11am - 2pm
Sunday 2nd march 1-4pm

Progress in the garden

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 00:09:00 +0000

Garden progress
The garden is still looking very pretty, with lots of winter chrysanthemums and red hot pokers to brighten the view, and the marigold borders still clinging on. Over the next week they will be replaced with wallflowers ready for spring. On the veg front the purple kale, chards and beetroot give a lush red tinge, and the garden doesn’t yet look as though it has closed down for winter. The lemon trees have been put away in one of the greenhouses for the winter.

The main greenhouse still looks very lush. We have brought all the pumpkins and squashes under cover there, the chilli peppers are still bright and shiny, the aubergines keep growing, and we have had home-grown melons for the last two months of picnics. The water melon was particularly delicious. The green pineapple melon, a heritage variety, proved why some varieties deserve to be heritage…

Planning application for Chiswick House and Gardens
The results are now due out in mid-December. As far as the walled gardens are concerned, the application showed that the southern garden is indeed to be a Kitchen Garden with ¾ for horticultural provision and one quarter set aside for lawn. The northern garden is to be a grassy orchard with occasional parking. We hope, of course, that the parking will be very occasional. We have helped to select the trees to be planted in both walled gardens. Although not our ideal solution, we felt it was an acceptable compromise.

Dig for Victory

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:07:00 +0000

Grove Park School was evacuated to the country two weeks ago – and came to the Kitchen Garden dressed up to the nines (or rather the 1940s), gas masks at the ready to Dig for Victory. We were particularly impressed by the teachers, all lipstick and seamed stockings. Our session was punctuated by having to dive for cover as the aeroplanes went by… Huge fun and very educational. In some pile of research papers there is proof that when children have fun they learn more, and this was clearly demonstrated.

An extra bed

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:58:00 +0000

We managed to bring an extra slice of land into cultivation last week when a group of civil servants from the local government department came to prove their commitment to the local community by spending a day barrowing gravel and then digging over the compacted soil beneath. We would like to thank them and CSV for organising it, and ask them to send us some more like that please! We haven’t yet decided what to plant there.

Trees cause controversy

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:57:00 +0000

1. Tuesdays between 10 and 4pm
We are starting Tuesday drop-in work sessions, any time between 10am and 4pm.

Teenagers are welcome to our Duke of Edinburgh sessions. These are now switching to weekend sessions. You can join at any time of the year.

2. Planning applications for Chiswick House & Grounds major regeneration work – deadline extended
After some confusion, the deadline for comments is now stated to be 9th October. Unfortunately the tree plans have not been included in the paperwork at Chiswick Library, which is very annoying for all concerned, since some of the proposed work is controversial. Recent letters in the Times have given both sides of the argument. Google them at http://www.google.com/search?q=site:www.timesonline.co.uk+chiswick+house

The planning applications have been submitted for the long-awaited works to be carried out under the Heritage Lottery Fund grant. These include "Demolition of existing cafe and erection of a new cafe, temporary marquee area, children's play area, improved access and car parking with various tree and woodland management, erection and repair of built features (including walls and ornamental structures), repaving and replanting." Also for “Felling of and works to various trees within Chiswick House Conservation Area”
System Reference: P/2007/2738. Planning Reference: 00176/E/P13
System Reference: P/2007/2739. Planning Reference: 00176/E/L14
System Reference: P/2007/2773. Planning Reference: 00176/E/TA3
We could find no further details online, although we are assured there are some, but you can send in any comments by going to http://planning.hounslow.gov.uk/planningv2/planning_search.aspx and then typing in the postcode for Chiswick House, W4 2RP.

3. Open Day September
We opened on 16th September as part of the National Garden Scheme (Yellow Book) and raised lots of money for charity - £1,240 for various cancer charities and £310 to the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Thank you to everyone who came.

Open Day for National Garden Scheme (Yellow Book)

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:49:00 +0000

We held our last opening of the year on 16 September. The weather was fine, the people came, the cakes sold out twice, the ice cream sold out... We raised £1,240 for various cancer charities and £340 for Motor Neurone Disease. And we showed off our garden.

At the end of the day one visitor said to us, 'Thank you. It's like a fairytale for the kids' and although this sounds really corny when written down, we felt our hard work was all worthwhile.

Planning applications for HLF work submitted

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 23:58:00 +0000

1. The planning applications have been submitted for the long-awaited works to be carried out under the Heritage Lottery Fund grant. These include "Demolition of existing cafe and erection of a new cafe, temporary marquee area, children's play area, improved access and car parking with various tree and woodland management, erection and repair of built features (including walls and ornamental structures), repaving and replanting." Also for “Felling of and works to various trees within Chiswick House Conservation Area”
System Reference: P/2007/2738. Planning Reference: 00176/E/P13
System Reference: P/2007/2739. Planning Reference: 00176/E/L14
System Reference: P/2007/2773. Planning Reference: 00176/E/TA3
The current status of these applications is that “The appropriate publicity has been carried out and where appropriate neighbours have been consulted. Please note not all types of application include Neighbour notification.”
These applications were received on 23 August and you have 21 days in which to make any comments. You can find further details at http://planning.hounslow.gov.uk/planningv2/planning_search.aspx

2. Open Day Sunday 16th September, 1-5pm
The last chance this year to come and visit the walled gardens. Of course you can still come and do some gardening (see below for work sessions), but if you just want to enjoy the beautiful and productive sight of enormous pumpkins and other vegetables, the stunning pink and orange dahlia beds, and the greenhouses bursting with melons and peppers, this is the time to make time. Bring some friends and come for a cup of tea and a cake too. This opening is part of the National Garden Scheme, and we are proud to be considered good enough for the famous ‘Yellow Book’.

Meanwhile the kids can enjoy the surreal Magic Forest, with its treasure trail of fairytales and strange objects, and the herbal maze. We look forward to seeing you there.

The NGS opening means all proceeds go to various cancer and motor neurone disease charities, so we will be charging £1.50 per adult (kids free). One of our founder members, Carole Weale, succumbed to motor neurone disease one year ago this week and is sorely missed.

3. Duke of Edinburgh sessions at the Kitchen Garden
These sessions, for teenagers will kick off on 17th September, 4.30-6pm. If you can’t get there at 4.30 sharp, that’s fine, come as soon as you can. We have room for about 10 students, and work is varied and – we would say that wouldn’t we – quite fun and satisfying. We carry out the sessions rain or shine, since we always have work that needs doing in the greenhouse. From half term sessions are held on weekends as the park is dark after school. You can start any time, so if you can’t make it on 17th September, no problem, you can slot in later. You are also welcome if you are not working towards an award, but just want to learn about gardening or do some environmental work. Please get in touch with Annette us at info@kitchengarden.org.uk to let us know you are coming, or to find out more information.

4. More helpers needed
We always welcome more helpers, and you can always come, without notice, to our monthly drop-in sessions. We are especially to hear from anyone with book-keeping/financial skills, since we will need a new Treasurer from late October.

5. Mid-week and weekend work sessions
From Tuesday 2nd October we will be launching a mid-week drop-in session. It would be good to know roughly how many people might come, so if you could let us know whether you might be interested… It would probably be some time between 10 and 4pm, with anyone welcome to come any time between those hours. All ages welcome, but any children to be supervised.

The next drop-in weekend work session is Sunday 7th October, 1-5pm.

Dahlia 'Ludwig Helfert'

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:07:00 +0000

Photo by Charlotte Barney.

Inspiration in the garden

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:03:00 +0000

A mother takes a quiet moment to sketch the maze during a school session.

Open Day Magic Forest

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 23:40:00 +0000

A large rodent, two dragons, a horde of butterflies, an enchanted mirror, a Handbag Tree...

Honey and Fennel at July Open Day

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 23:37:00 +0000

Just visible through the fennel and artichoke plants is Mel the Bee's local honey stall. Always popular at Kitchen Garden open days among honey enthusiasts and asthma sufferers who find local supplies alleviate their suffering

July Open Day

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 23:30:00 +0000

A group from the South London Tamil Welfare Centre inspect the ripening tomatoes. Will they ever ripen this summer? Or will they go straight from green to blight with no in-between?

Amazing maze

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 00:21:00 +0000

The maze is coming into its own now. The central ring of clove pinks is in full flower, the outer lavender rings provide a welcome framing, and we are looking forward to the hyssops - separate rings of pink and blue - to flower.

Smallest gardeners start work

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 00:19:00 +0000

Usually our school groups are aged at least six years old, but we were persuaded by the enthusiasm of the organiser to welcome a class of three-year olds from Grove Park Playgroup. They inspected the ladybirds, checked out the flowers and vegetables, and then planted lots of peas. They learnt a bit, and we learnt a lot: make sure the seeds are quite large and make sure the session is not too long. But apart from that, it's never too early to start them off.

Ladybirds preparing anti-blackfly weapons

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 21:08:00 +0000

Two ladybirds, horrified by an infestation on our broad beans, are captured in flagrante by photographer Caroline Ames.

May rain

noreply@blogger.com (TDK) — Thu, 31 May 2007 21:04:00 +0000

After a hot dry sunny April, May poured with rain and the garden grew lush.