Tag: Cats

Why I garden4 Comments

1st week in December

Reclaiming Paradise

and, in a week which seems to get worse and worse in the wider world, the Advent Calendar is filling up slowly with tiny beauties from the garden and the natural and human world. Small things that bring joy, such as eating the first, and only this year, ‘Christmas Pippin’ apples for breakfast on the 1st of December. blackbirds scoffing the last of the Howgate Wonder apples left on the tree, carving them like pumpkins: watching oyster catchers on a snowy beach (and not being tempted to swim in the sea) On a day when I did not feel at … Continue reading 1st week in December

Growing vegetables, fruit and flowers, Why I garden, Wildlife5 Comments

Friends and foes in the garden

Reclaiming Paradise

I’ve been out in the garden today, catching some of the actual sunshine and imagining that spring has arrived. It has turned back to cold and fog this evening but there was some warm sunshine for a little while. The rare appearance of the sun led me to all sorts of garden activities. I checked on all the fruit blossom which is looking very promising: four different apples, redcurrants, raspberries and even pears – still hoping for more than one fruit this year: I planted out some peas. These are the heritage ‘Salmon Pink’ which I’ve managed to keep going … Continue reading Friends and foes in the garden

Growing vegetables, fruit and flowers2 Comments

Novembery

Reclaiming Paradise

After all the unseasonalness of the last couple of weeks, today felt proper Novembery. The forecast is for the temperature to dip below freezing tonight so I got out in the garden to do some tidying up and harvest a few bits and pieces. The Wonder of Four Seasons lettuces are living up to their name, with a few juicy looking plants still growing nicely: I harvested one and covered the others with some plastic sheeting in the hope that this will keep them going for a bit longer. the lettuces were already covered with freezer baskets to keep Bella … Continue reading Novembery

Why I garden, Wildlife2 Comments

Friday night delight

Reclaiming Paradise

It’s been a bit of a week (a bit of a month actually) but it was a lovely evening so we had our tea in the garden – we had ‘leftover delight’, which is basically ‘what’s in the fridge? Let’s just heat it up’. Tonight that meant leftover vegetable curry with some rather aged microwaveable rice. It all tasted fine. What was really delightful though was the complete mess of self-seeded and other flowers, waving around in the wind, and Bella walking purposefully past on her way to check out any leftovers under the garden table. The garden has gone … Continue reading Friday night delight

Growing vegetables, fruit and flowers, Why I garden6 Comments

There may be pears

Reclaiming Paradise

Yes, pears, not bears. The baby pear tree which has done nothing very much for the last three and a half years, has blossom. I’m very excited but also a little worried. This little tree has chosen to have it’s blossom debut in the middle of a cold snap, just after a mini heatwave. I covered it with some ‘may come in handy some time’ plastic from the shed during the very cold nights last week and it seems to have survived Just as well. We had ice on the pond on a couple of mornings. Bella likes to check … Continue reading There may be pears

Growing vegetables, fruit and flowers, Why I garden1 Comment

A day of contrasts

Reclaiming Paradise

It’s been a day of contrasts – frost and ice first thing in the morning followed by glorious sunshine. Bella went out to check the ice on the pond, which was surrounded by frosty grass. Meanwhile, at the back of the garden the sun was shining on the first daffodils. Everything was glorious and I should have spent the day in the garden, or the allotment, or at the very least, sowing seeds indoors. Instead I made a trip to an out of town garden centre. I had a choice between going to one where I can get a bus … Continue reading A day of contrasts

Why I garden7 Comments

Reclaiming Paradise Awards 2021

Reclaiming Paradise

We come to the end of another year. What is there to say about 2021? Too much really but here on Reclaiming Paradise it is time to celebrate all that has been good, surprising or downright disappointing in the garden and allotment. Wonderful weather The winter brought some wonderful frost, snow and ice The cowometer came back into use – for a view of its highest reading since records began, see here We also had impressive thunderstorms and flooding in July (no photos) but the award goes to the ice on the pond in February which enabled Bella to perfect … Continue reading Reclaiming Paradise Awards 2021