Fresh Garden Greens

Rocket, Lettuce, Basil, Chives, and Coriander all freshly picked from the garden today.

A Green Weekend

Lovely blissful nature reserve with pond plants galore, blackbirds nesting nearby and a little dragonfly to complete the magical ambience.

 

Homemade Soda Bread

Yeast free and delicious

300g Spelt flour

1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1/2 tsp salt

250 ml Buttermilk or Semi-skimmed milk

Mix the flour, bicarbonate soda and salt together, add the milk and kneed for 10 minutes. Roll into a ball, indent with a large knife across the top and bake for 45 mins.

 

First Dahlia!

The first of the dahlia’s in the window box has bloomed and looks so pretty. This is from the Unwin mix and hopefully will provide an array of different colours.. if the wind doesn’t get the better of them..

Broadbeans climbing high

I have pinched off the top 2 inches of the broadbean plants in the hope this will prevent a black fly attack and so far so good. I will have the soapy water on hand just in case though..

Raining Basil

Torrential rain and high speed winds has brought most of the garden indoors but the basil is definitely not defeated. The top shelf of the greenhouse must be an agreeable abode for basil. Big green lushious leaves which smell wonderful.

Harvest from the top , just above a  set of leaves to encourage new growth. (don’t cut just below  a set of leaves)

 

 

Oxeye Daisy Crazy

Sadly the trove of wild garlic was looking a little worse for wear this morning so thought i would cheer myself up with some Oxeye daisies ‘Leucanthemum vulgare’ and a few shiny yellow buttercups Ranunculus..

 

The first harvests dans le jardin

Despite the colder weather…

 

early potatoes

 

 

a plump radish!

 

 

Elderflower Cordial

The best time to pick elder is on a beautifully sunny dry day so i took the opportunity as the weekend was so lovely..

Ingredients:

20 elderflower heads

1kg sugar

1 lemon sliced

2 tsp Citric Acid

2.5 pints boiling water

1. Shake the elder heads to remove any beasties and pop them into a large pan or clean bucket.

2. Add all the other ingredients, then add the boiling water and stir.

3. Cover with a tea towel and leave for 48 hours, stirring twice a day. The consistency will become a gloopy like syrup.

4. Strain through a muslin cloth or sieve and pour into sterlised bottles or glasses with screw top lids

The cordial will keep in unopened bottles for a few months.  Once opened keep refrigerated and use within a few days of opening.

To use dilute with either still or sparkling water and add a slice of lemon! also can be added as a mixer to spirits and cocktails!

Champagne and fritters to follow…..!

Flower Vessels

The photo doesn’t do it justice but these bottles make great vases for all sorts of beautiful blooms. Especially the wild ones.

Here is a selection of Geranium Robertianum, Blue bells, Screaming yellow Baptisia, dogwood and buttercups.

Free and simple and so radiant i could look at them all day…