Even as the Covid situation improves, life can still seem uncertain. Of course, life and our individual futures have never been guaranteed but previously we did have some degree of certainty that our plans would come to fruition. Covid has put a dent in that confidence, whether it was originally justified or not.
That is where I find the garden and allotment provides an anchor. Spring comes, summer will follow, the trees will flower and crops sown with hope will produce the goods. It’s called gardening and it roots you in nature and its rhythms. The world still turns and despite our egos the great universe beyond carries on in majestic indifference. Indeed, if gardening is not your thing then can I suggest a bit of quiet star gazing, another of my passions, to provide some solace and to listen to the gentle sounds of nature at night. It certainly brings peace to my soul.
The Rewards are worth it!
Well, I may look up occasionally but this is a ground-based article. Now we have arrived at June we can look forward to some of the earliest summer crops. I always find these the most delicious, particularly as they announce summer with their fresh taste.
The Broad Beans are one of our staples, they freeze really well so we always aim for a surplus. However, Linda’s over-wintering ones disappeared, perhaps it was the weather or maybe the mice did for them. We certainly do have mice in the garden at home, our cats have confirmed this, much to our chagrin when presented with the evidence in the morning. All I can say is that it is not always advisable to pad about the house in the morning, bleary eyed, with bare feet!
I hope that some rain has fallen between the end of April, as my trembling fingers rattle the laptop keys to produce this article, and it tumbling through your letterbox. If not, the potatoes are going to struggle and watering is going to be a big issue. Still it usually works out in the end and plants do want to grow. It is just that some of our crops are really the Olympians of the vegetable world and do need good conditions to deliver their best.
So, gardeners, stick with it. I sense a bumper year and currently the allotments look really good. Also, the outlook across the fields from the plot is superb, so I forgive the blue skies and lack of rain (for now).
Happy gardening
Tony Lewis