Allotment Tales // Hello Sunshine!

We have finally been able to get down to the allotment and complete some long-awaited tasks this weekend. The sunshine has finally come out and the rain has stopped for long enough for us to do some weeding, planning and plotting.

Of course, the rain has been much-needed and has meant that our established plants such as herbs, or those which were over-wintering like the onions and broad-beans, are doing really well. These chives are flowering in abundance and I'm looking forward to using the flowers in some summery salads and pasta dishes, for a garlicky flavour. 

Now that the ground has dried out a bit, we have been able to plot out our sections and paths, get rid of the insane amount of weeds and begin sowing seeds. Last year, my strawberries were in the ground and they didn't do particularly well. Slugs and birds got to them and it was difficult to keep them weed free. This year I have put them in a raised bed. Strawberries do prefer being in containers, so hopefully we'll get a better crop. They'll be easier to cover with a net to keep birds away as well.

The most exciting development, however, is that we have our very first bench! Now we'll be able to sit in a bit more comfort and enjoy a tea-break when we're down there. We've plotted out the section in front of it to look a bit more like a cottage kitchen-garden - with a curved path, small plots of lettuce, herbs and flowers  - rather than the long drills of vegetables we have in the remainder of the allotment. With a wigwam of sweet peas, lavender and chamomile around the bench, I'm hoping it will be a lovely place to sit.

Happy gardening to those of you who do - I hope the sunshine stays out for you and you're been able to create a little bit of garden magick in the coming weeks. We certainly have this weekend!

Garden Magick // Hellebore

Nowadays hellebores grace the gardens of many people, providing a welcome sight in the depths of winter as they flower in spite of the cold. For this quality they are often called the 'Christmas Rose'.

However, hellebore wasn't always thought of so fondly. If you look back through history, hellebore has been used as both a medicine and a poison. It was traditionally used as a cure for paralysis and gout, yet it caused more problems than it solved - its list of side-effects stretch from tinnitus and vertigo to heart attack, stupors and death. Not one to go brewing in your tea!

Due to its sinister capabilities, folklore has cloaked this plant in darkness and mystery - it is often associated with witchcraft. It is also famed for being the agent of the death of Alexander the Great. A fascinating little plant - and one which will always seem more positive than otherwise to me. I just love it's star-shaped blooms. 

Hearth and Home // Orange Tree Progress

You may remember a while back I was having a few problems with our orange tree.

I was really worried it wasn't going to make it, but eventually new leaves sprouted.

And now this...

...flower buds!

What a reward for a perseverance. 

Hearth and Home // Orange Tree Healing

Although I have had a fair bit of luck with my first real attempts at nurturing my own garden, my green fingers sadly lose their magickal touch when it comes to orange trees.

B brought one with him when he came to live with me and that promptly shed its leaves and left this world, never to return. I felt awful. To console ourselves we bought a new, beautifully healthy orange tree earlier this month. I viewed this tree as a new start for a new year and I was so looking forward to seeing (and smelling) the beautifully scented blossoms in late Spring.

Two weeks in and there was a growing pile of leaves on the carpet. A few more days pass: cue mini oranges dropping with quiet thuds that seem to reverberate in my ears; little echoes of guilt at my inability to look after this special tree. 

We have read countless blogs, forum posts and advice websites about orange tree care and all seem to say the following: don't over-water and keep warm. If the tree is getting lots of light but the roots aren't above at least 10 degrees C, the tree will lose its leaves (and probably die, says my brain).

Yesterday, as I watched our tree dropping its leaves, at a rate that seemed like every few minutes throughout the morning, I decided to take hasty action. I ran over to the local garden centre and asked to speak with a citrus expert. If they even had a citrus expert. Luckily they did. 

She told me to keep the tree in a cool spot over winter. Around 5 degrees C will do, as long as it has loads and loads of light. Only if the tree is at risk of frost should you move it away from the light of a windowsill. Central heating is the most likely reason for my tree losing its leaves.

So I bought my tree a beautiful new terracotta pot, which should prevent frost getting to the roots, re-potted it in nourishing citrus compost and fed it with citrus feed for winter (there are different kinds for winter and summer, according to my new favourite citrus expert). I also kept whispering softly to the tree how sorry I was for not going sooner to find accurate information and how much I really hope it will be okay. 

Come on, little tree.

Wheel of the Year // Waking Up

Spring is on its way!

Pushing their way up out of the thawing soil, the bulbs I planted in the autumn are starting to appear in abundance. In my teeny tiny plot of land, the wheel is turning again...we have come full circle.

Who cares that Christmas is over? This is far more exciting!

Summer is drawing to a close..

...and I am making the most of the late harvests in the garden.

I have sweet tomatoes...

...a veritable jungle of runner beans climbing my wall...

...an abundance of peppery rocket in my tub...

...and lots of spinach and beetroot too.

I'm so thankful for these rewards for my first efforts with my little garden.

I have now watched the seasons turn full circle in this place where I came to rest. It is lovely to see the difference from this time last year, when the soil looked barren and empty as we moved into autumn.

Now, as the days draw in and the mornings are spiked with an autumnal chill, I am warmed by the knowledge that I have made things work in this past year. My garden, my job, my relationship have all been fruitful and these thoughts are the store which will keep me going through winter. 

In praise of the Sun God

The vibrant sun is at its most powerful at this point in the year: our days are lengthy of light and warmth. At this time the earth is bounteous and crops are growing all around, whether in vast fields or more humble gardens.

The nasturtium seeds that I planted a mere month ago, here, are now well established and I hope to have a host of golden, orange and red hues adorning my little front wall and bowls of salads come late summer.

A mixture of salad leaf seeds that I planted in a giant tub about two weeks ago are sprouting healthily. I'm looking forward to some rocket adding a peppery taste to the mix as well.

Along one tiny little bed I can also see my spinach leaves and beetroot poking up out of the soil. I love the rich red of their stems.

And last but certainly not least, the beans have come to join the party! This is my first sprout on show today - hopefully, with a bit of guidance and support, the runner beans will climb straight up my wall.

As I have such a small plot of land at the front of my house, with nowhere to grow under cover, I have had to wait until so late in the season for the ground to be warm enough to plant straight out. But here they come, to accompany my miniature strawberry harvest, as the fruits of this year's labours.

Thank you to the great Sun God for encouraging these little wonders to grow. 

Thyme

This often-overlooked little herb is fast becoming one of my favourites. Its culinary benefits are undoubted; it is a staple of Mediterranean dishes and accompanies meat particularly well. I use it in soups and casseroles, for making stock, in pasta and - most recently - even in biscuits! More to come on that tomorrow!

Thyme is a pungent herb that really packs a punch for one so little. (Perhaps that's why I like it!) It is pretty hardy and loves a sunny spot, growing in most soils and on rockeries well. However, it won't forgive you for over-watering so do be careful.

At this time of year it is really blooming and the leaves taste best through June and July so it is an excellent time to pick and use fresh, or begin to dry for later in the year. There are many varieties, including the silver-edged 'Argenteus' (above) which grows particularly well in containers. Also to be found is the beautifully scented 'Citridorus' or 'lemon' thyme (below) which works fantastically well in recipes that require a citrus flavour: this is one type of thyme that goes particularly deliciously with fish.

In medieval times, Thyme was considered to impart courage upon those who ate it and, therefore, came to symbolise vigour and heroism. It was reputedly added to beer and drank by those who needed to overcome nerves. The ancient Romans also considered it a remedy for melancholy. Today, its health benefits are largely related to its essential oil which contains large quantities of thymol - a powerful antiseptic and antibacterial. Applied directly to cuts and scrapes, crushed thyme leaves act as an instant garden remedy to cleanse. 

Thyme also possesses antispasmodic and expectorant properties, making it particularly useful in the treatment of chest infections such as bronchitis. A tea may be concocted, using a teaspoon of crushed thyme leaves, added to boiling water. Allow the herbs to steep for 10 minutes before straining and sweetening with honey. This tea should be drunk 3 to 4 times daily for the treatment of persistent coughs.