bean-anza!

Broad beans - the gift that keeps giving! After a good crop last year, saved seed was used to start a new crop. Both a veg bed crop and some planted experimentally beside one of the orchard trees flourished, after a nervous wait for germination.

the colour of summer

While spring saw a veg patch enlivened by the purple flowers of chives and sage, and there's still traces of purple in the artichokes and eggplant, surely this - gold and luscious, almost drinking up the sun - is the colour of summer. Here zucchini flowers peep out from their leafy mounds, the new bed such a pleasure to spy from my bedroom window each morning, and enjoy whenever out at the clothesline. First zucchinis are just being picked.

the joy of cooking

Okay, so lots of people cook with stuff from their garden. Me included. But this one felt special - it's rare, here, to be able to rely solely on the garden, at least not for a traditional fully cooked family meal, especially outside autumn's bountiful peak.

surprise gift from Barb

Arrived home after a spell away to discover a milk crate of irises, which had to be from Barb next door. On a tour of her garden last month - an overflowing, colour-filled vision of cottagey plants cheek by jowl with native shrubs - she'd asked if I'd like any of the white bearded iris she felt needed dividing, and who am I to look a gift horse etc etc ...

more lovely shallots

Shallots now in full flower, leaves starting to shrivel, and close to harvesting. Bobbing about at hand height, perfectly proportioned to fit in the palm of a hand, can't help giving these an affectionate clasp whenever I walk past, and get a tickly hand massage back!