Return a bad idea?

 The allotments have an open day each July and last year was too raw, but this year A. decided to go.

Disappointing? 

Somewhere between upset and furious, I think she hardly recognised it.

There is concrete and paving slabs, no hedges and the back is covered in ragweed and Himalayan balsam.

Our wonderful, busy habitat is no more and considering the reason she was asked to leave was because it was considered 'untidy'.............. well, what can I say?

Their loss and the wild life's loss.

Such a shame.

.

Yep, it's slipped away....

 Too many plans, ideas, ambitions but too little time.  The decision has been made. 

Relief.

But then the mild panic because what to take? What will live in pots? If it's happy at the plot with all its sun/soil/companion plants, should it be left there?

A. took what she could, I took pots to put in the garden until there is a decision on their final placing. Some will survive, some will not.

As in life, so in gardening.

Final photos (and they have gone to the land of lost things).

Hmmm.             

If gardening teaches anything, it is that there is always next year....... or the next...... or even the one after.

The allotments will always be there, looking for keepers.

Cold but still growing

 Cold and damp again, but managed to do some tidying round the back of the plot. Things were growing, which is wonderful to see in December. Fungi, of course. This delicate little thing was over by the leylandii hedge.

and this growing (again!) on the willow wood.

Unripe strawberries eaten by something - bird? slugs or snails?

Flowers blooming still include the (not marsh) mallow, calendula, yellow daisy (not sure what it is called), some pansies, chicory, nastursiun and some lavender.

A rose bud had suffered from the cold and wet and fallen from the plant.

The heather likes it in this bed with the blueberries and cranberries.

Just as I was gathering things together, I saw this growing on some old gooseberry wood.

I think it is Jelly Ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) although it is usually found on the living or dead wood of elder.

I brought home a small rhubarb crown but not sure if it will do anything. Also potted up a few blackcurrant cuttings and some mint - hoping it is the chocolate one, but they have all intermingled so who knows!

Even with coffee it is still cold so came home early.

 

 The weather has turned wintery and I've not been to the plot for any length of time. The robin was rushing around as usual and a few wasps were about.

Planted some onion sets and cloves of garlic. The kale and turnips A. planted a few weeks ago have been disturbed by something - pigeons or rodents, not sure.

There are still flowers, apples and a half eaten beetroot dotted around. Even a couple of (half-eaten) strawberries. There are plenty of mosses and some lichen but the phots weren't very good. The old apple tree had the most variety.

Some fungi popping up.

There are still buds opening on the roses - the red seems the most enthusiastic. Also one lonesome purple-stripped primula.

Let's see what the weather brings.

 

Winds and warmth

 Having come with P. at the week-end to take the hedge trimmings etc to the tip, today the plan was to put coffee grounds around the new planting in the big bed, assess the fruit bed and investigate blackcurrant cuttings. Also the usual windfalls and general look-around. 

Something has been trying (and in one case succeeding) in rootling round the new plants and disturbing the straw mulch. Settled it back, sprinkled the coffee grinds then placed bamboo canes across the bed to (a) hold the straw (winds are forecast) and (b) discourage more rootling. It might be pigeons, hedgehogs, pheasants - who knows. A camera might be useful....

There is more fungi around the willow tree stumps/seats. 

I think I identified this as common inkcap last time, but that's not definite!

Also some more Glistening Inkcap.

When I was over by the proto-pond this fungi caught my eye, not been able to find it in the references, nearest seems to be hedgehog fungus.

Took some blackcurrant cuttings and put them in a pot on the fruit bed. Tidied around J's bed. Lots of strawberry plants there and they have been sending out runners which have rooted everywhere. There's even a few unripe fruit growing!

Wasps still active, a few bees buzzing loudly and one or two hoverflies still around. Blackbirds (f+m) in and out of the hedge, maybe a dunnock and of course the faithful robin. Overhead a hunter riding the thermals - not the more common buzzard. Light coloured body, short compact tail. The finches swept off in a chittering cloud.

Flowers - yellow daisy-type in the wild flower bed, also mallow still with a few blooms and the red clover. Mint holding some sprays but most are crisping, as is the chicory. Calendular-like plant in the asparagus bed is still flowering. Yellow rose has a flower and a bud, the other rose has several buds.

Some raspberries still flowering, picked a handful of fruit before it goes mouldy. The rain and mild weather will finish them soon, I think. Also came home with more apples and a surprise gift of quince! Must take some syrup next week as a thank you.

Job part done

 It was dry yesterday and although there is a light dew, it is dry enough to try trimming the hedge. I've not done this before so came with 3 batteries, protective glasses and focus. 

Although the trimmer isn't particularly heavy, it is awkward so there were plenty of breaks. I couldn't reach the top and I only went as far as the window because of the wasp nest and I had no intention of disturbing them! I did disturb several (possibly) white plume moths. The line is a bit wibbly-wobbly but overall, not bad. 

I must say it took longer to tidy up than actually trimming but the sun was shining and the coffee stayed hot.

While I was sitting I could hear the bees and hoverflies in the wild flower patch, enjoying the red clover and the yellow flowers. Also the mallow (not marsh, the other one),

At least 3 robins and 2 blackbirds followed me along the hedge, looking for treats. Magpies and bluetits flying low overhead. Clouds of white fly fuzzed the air. Sitting in my favourite spot I could hear the now faded leaves of the big trees, shimmering like rain in the autumn sun.

Then a brown butterfly whizzed across the plot, too fast to recognise.

Bliss.

   

Nice surprise

 There were signs of other visitors since my last walk around the plot. For the past few weeks the sweetcorn has been nibbled - but by what? Number one suspect is always pigeons but they would not drag a half-eaten cob across to the clear grass under the old apple tree. Then I spotted the scat (or poo). 

Not pigeon, then! 

A few other droppings around so had to consult the identification sheet when I got home but these remain a mystery.

A. arrived whilst I was having a coffee break (nice surprise) and she correctly identified hedgehog droppings - not purple, as I had been lead to expect, so the colour might depend on what the hog had eaten (obvious, I suppose). 

The large fungi growths from last week have disappeared, only to be replaced by a couple of delicate parasols in the straw grass.

We had a chat about the plot then I packed up and left A. to its peacefulness.