Bougainvillea have been a part of our garden for many years but they have never flowered as prolifically as they have this year. They are fantastic. The regular dark mauve colour grows wild all over southern Europe. Young agapanthus bulbs each produced one flower. The colour was superb. As we close the garden down, like the bougainvillea they will be in pots in the greenhouse and should produce more flowers in 2012.
We had no lonicera fruit or goji berries last year and though we’ve had flowers this year still no berries, so we have made the best of a good crop of cherries. I stoned the second batch before committing them to jam and we have two grades of jam. Premium with some stones, and Tip Top with lots of yummy stone-less fruit. Most of the regular fruit bushes like black and red currants and gooseberries have done well and the apple trees have given their all producing like never before. Grenadier came first and there were plenty for friends, this was followed by the Russet. The Bramley has half the crop remaining to be picked and we have enough to supply the local greengrocer as well as friends, neighbours and a lady who makes pies for The MacMillan Coffee Morning.
The Bramley Apple Tree in flower. Beetroots have been patchy this year. The fault of the seeds-man I am told. Patchy because some are dark red, some pink and some puce. The dark ones have more flavour, the others are just edible. They’re more like fodder beet or sugar beet I fancy. We have grown climbing French beans which have been a great success. Broad beans and runner have been good too. We have a problem with French and runner beans... it’s a Pointer problem. Liza is addicted to beans and we have to keep them within enclosures or she strips the plants and then isn’t fit to live with afterwards. All our Pointers have been addicted to vegetables and I often wonder if more people were aware of the preferences of dogs would they get a little more of what they fancy. They like apples too, but shouldn’t have the pips. One bitch we had, by name Klinker, would even beg for lettuce when I was washing it but she always wanted it dipped in mayonnaise. We thought rats had been at the beetroot in the ground one year until I spotted Klinker nibbling the tops of the round red roots all along the rows. All the dogs have liked mange tout and sugar snaps and picked them as they have the beans if they get the chance.
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