Spring has sprung

We have been experiencing phenomenal weather over the past few weeks, with temperatures reaching mid summer levels and very little rainfall.

Due to real life and jobs etc getting in the way progress in the walled garden has been quite slow.

The salvaged greenhouse is now glazed and in production.

The Rhubarb beds are looking splendid and promise a huge crop this year. The walled trained Cherries flowered reasonably well and although we are still in the process of training a basic form work they may form some fruit.

The ancient Cooking Apple looks good this year and is packed with blossom. We do not know what variety it is but the tree is approximately 150 years old. It produces some of the very best tasting and textured apples and it would be good to establish what it is, maybe the research establishment at Brogdale could help to make an identification.

The fruit is now forming on the fanned Gooseberries and providing the wood pigeons don't have an early morning raid again should provide a worthwhile crop. The Garlic has grown really well this year and we are looking at harvesting by the end of May. The Potatoes are just showing their tops and now need earthing up. We also have some interesting things in flower at the moment, the Dodecatheons are looking quite good and the new Quince tree is flowering really well.