With Silver Bells and Cockle Shells, and Little Maids All in a Row (old English nursery rhyme, probably a sly reference to Charles II's mistress or something).
Steemit, for some reason beyond me, has decided to post all my pictures upside down, regardless of their orientation on my iPad. Any clues what's going on, or how I can correct it? Help gratefully received in the comments.
Here is a picture of about a third of the vegetable garden at the back. The lower bed is waiting for a layer of mulch and most things seem to be surviving and growing, apart from an aubergine on the left which has been almost completely eaten. One of the chillis in the pots isn't doing too well, either - some creepy crawly ate right through the stem (couldn't you have just taken a leaf)?
There are beans at the back of the higher level, sitting in their own little bed of compost dropped on top of the existing soil. On the steps are cardoons and globe artichokes in pots, just about big enough to plant out. I'll probably do that over the weekend. The bottom tray contains the buddleia cuttings for the #savethebeebutts contest.
We had brilliant sun all last week, and then lovely, soaking rain yesterday and soft drizzle today. Apart from the damp enticing the slugs out, they've had a good start.
I learned this week that my young gardener will be joining me again from about mid-June, when his exams finish and before he goes to university. My neighbours and I have started to put together ideas for jobs we would like to do while he is here ... still have a week or two to fill so I'll be canvassing neighbours in the big house for any jobs they want done (their hedge could do with a trim).
I'm spending the day in London today, visiting the Picasso exhibition at Tate Modern and then going to a research group about anarchist film. What are your plans for the weekend? Hope you have a lovely time, whatever you are doing.