Follow the red brick road

Pictures are of some flowers, Lucy planting seeds (Lauren couldn't go on the garden because she had her brand new shoes on), Lucy and Lauren preparing to plant and grandad hoeing while the girls draw plans of the garden.

Blimey, its ten days since my last post.

We've had some serious progress since then. I took a day of holiday and the path is finished. It looks pretty good but we need some more soil each side of it. It looks like we may have to buy one of those giant bags of topsoil in the not too distant future.

Our runner beans in pots are already 6" tall. We're going to let them and the three tomato plants have a day in the garden tomorrow to acclimatise them a bit. We'll have to decide on exactly what we're going to grow the beans up, but best advice at the moment seems to be wigwams. Best we don't forget to get them in as the nights are still very chilly. The three chilli plants that came up are progressing slowly and now have three leaves each.

The radishes are going well despite being nipped by the frost last week, but no sign of the spring onions yet. Parsnips are not up yet, but we're led to believe they take their time.

Our two grand-daughters Lauren & Lucy had a sleepover last Friday and in the morning they helped plant dwarf French beans. I think they are quite excited by our vegetable venture.

Asparagus and onions are doing really well. I'll take some pictures when I find some more time. It's been mental this week with one thing and another, and this weekend I'm off with a friend on a three day 150 mile cycle ride around Suffolk.

Today some of the potato plants poked their heads above ground, so even more need for extra topsoil.

We haven't forgotten our flowers, and last weekend went to Bungay Gardening Street Market and bought a few bedding plants, perennials, and a new Rosemary plant, because our lovely bush has given up the ghost. I think it just got too big and old. Looks like we'll have to buy our Rosemary to cook with until the new one is big enough

The forecast for the weekend is to be very warm which should encourage a good bit of growth in everything.

Red Hot Chilli Peppers

We've made a start on getting some bricks down on the path, but cold weather has curtailed our efforts somewhat. I thought May was supposed to be a pleasant month.

All the asparagus plants are up now. The onions continue to flourish and the leeks are coming on slowly. We have managed to get some parsnips in and plant some runner beans in small pots.

Best news is that three of the chillis we were beginning to think would never come up have come through.

Someone at work offered some tomato plants today. We'll have three and put them in a growbag I think, because I'm not sure there's going to be room actually in the soil.

The flower border is beginning to look a bit like it's old self. we must make sur we don't neglect it completely.

Not sure what's next on the agenda, probably more digging. We probably need a bit of a review. One thing that definitely has to happen is that the lilac bush has got to come out to make room for the new shed, but son-in-law Mick is going to do that for us.

Bikes are nice and clean and oiled, and I'm getting plenty of miles in again.

Progress

A successful few days. We managed to dig some more of the garden, moved the rest of the soil from the demolished ornamental wall and get some more stuff planted.

Yesterday after more digging we put the potatoes in and planted a row of radishes and spring onions.

The really good news is that our earlier plantings are showing signs of life. Almost all the onion sets are growing well, with 3-4" shoots on some of them. Four out of the eight asparagus plants are already through. We were amazed at how quickly they grow once they break through, and it's a bit frustrating because we can't cut any this year and they do look very tempting.

The leeks are coming up now. They look a bit like chives at the moment, but the ground is ready for them to be thinned and moved when it's time. A friend told us that she puts hers in toilet roll tubes when she plants them out, so we might try that with a few to compare results.

We're still not sure that we have room for everything we've bought, but fingers-crossed all will be well. We can always put a few things in amongst the flowers.

Weather outside looks foul at the moment, but all being well we'll finally get the parsnips in, which is a bit late I know, but I expect they'll be OK. Golf also beckons, and cleaning our bikes. Busy day ahead methinks.

Speaking of bikes it's been good to get back on mine this week after an enforced layoff. There's not much better than cycling through the Suffolk countryside at thi time of the year. Only two days ago amongst other things I saw a herd of around fifty deer and an adder.