Seedlings and new spring bulbs

Well, I can honestly say that there hasn't been much going on in the way of any knitting, crochet or jewellery-making lately! Gardening and the starting off of seedlings has had to take precedent as we intend to to grow quite a bit of our own veg again this year and, since the good weather seemed like a good environment to get things moving ................we did!

Runner beans are excellent and we grow them most years. Our garden is really small, so the best way for us is to grow them is in pots which also means we can always move them to where we need them to be as well! Their flowers vary from variety to variety but are quite beautiful and a such an attraction for bees and hoverflies.

Runner bean - variety 'Enorma'

Fresh herbs are always so lovely to smell and are nice picked fresh and added to salads. Basil, mint and thyme have been our first this year but we usually continue with successive sowings of basil throughout the season.

Basil

Rocket grows really well in pots too and tastes great with the basil and tomatoes (the seedling of which have only just started to come through today).

Peas grown in the previous year's potato growbags were surprisingly successful last year. Not only did we get the best crop ever but planting them up out of the way means that the invasion by slugs and snails is greatly reduced - we will probably always grow them like this from now on. Started off in small pots they transfer well and soon settle their roots to make good growth.

Peas - variety 'First Early'

Broad beans will be a new one for us this year so I can't tell you much about those other than they will be going in the ground and we'll have to keep a look out for black fly! The sunflowers have made a start in pots too, also to go in the ground.

Sunflower

I thought it might be worth giving some flowers a try this year too. Not being particularly fond of the usual Busy Lizzies, african marigolds and salvias, I chose the following 4........

Cornflowers make excellent cut flowers and equally as good dried flowers. Nigella has beautiful architecturally structured flowers which leave the most amazing seed pods afterwards. Cosmos flowers are like big floaty saucers and can last well in to the autumn. Calendula (English marigold), as well as being shades of deep rich orange though to gold and yellow also has medicinal properties and will freely self seed if you let it.

We installed a new birdhouse too - a little late in the season really but it was such a bargain at £4 and the prospective new residents will get used to it soon, nestling into the remains of the dead ivy which should be full of nice bugs and spiders.

Also, a little trip out to North Wales on Saturday took us past the market in Mold (on the way to Moel Famau) and that was where I found these!

Hyacinth - white

Hyacinth - blue

I have had to make room for them on an already busy fireplace, but that is where they are living so that they can get the best of the sunlight in the morning.

Can't wait for the lovely perfume but it should be a couple of weeks away yet - so nice to look forward to and a lot quicker than all that veg!!!