Wednesday 22 July 2009

The lilac bush

Rescued by my neighbour from her place of graft then kindly donated to the 'plot' effort.



Very handsome she be that 'Beauty of Moscow'
May she flourish and bloom
and attract all who see - the insects, the birds and even me!

Please don't comment on the sad attempt at poetry (or grammar) .......... I felt inspired by Mr Phil!

How doth the pumkins grow!!

From humble beginnings.......



.......the monster pumpkins swell!!

Jess and I are hoping to weigh in the heaviest pumpkins in all of Ipswich in aid of East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH). You can help us raise a bit of cash for the cause by sponsoring our efforts.

Please find the link for 'EACH' in our 'Great links' list for more information about the charity.

The life cycle of a ladybird

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of gardening is observing what is happening right under your very nose.
This photo shows a ladybird at the larvae stage - something I had the foresight to look up in a book rather than assume it was a pest to be squidged! They can move pretty quick and are fascinating to watch - gleefully munching their way through a colony of sap sucking aphids!

Later - after much munching and growing the larvae pupate and look like this before they emerge into the little red beetles we all recognise as ladybirds.

I'm glad to see natural balance at work on our humble allotment garden!

Monday 13 July 2009

Onion harvest

The first onions - sown from sets autumn 2008

A successful garlic crop

Andrew's meadow - this will be developing over the next few years

Hyssop - the bee's love it!