Everything’s coming up rhubarb!
30th April 2018
Despite the UK winter not wanting to let go, things have been happening in the garden and on the allotment.
The camelia by the front door has limped on for another year. It struggles all year then throws out these perfect blooms. Each year we threaten to dig it out and replace it with something that will be happier but then spring arrives and we hesitate!
Pear blossom looks so beautiful but smells awful! Attractive to moths and other insects, no doubt, but not to human noses.
The daffodils eventually bloomed (and were worth waiting for) ...
… as did the tulips. I took this photo on the hottest day this year so far, in very bright sunshine. The colour is so vivid! It doesn’t look real, I know.
I think Alchemilla Mollis looks beautiful all year round, especially when the rain drops jewels onto its leaves.
We harvested the last parsnips. I think they look like they’re sunbathing here!
The rhubarb has begun to crop! It’s a variety called Champagne and it’s doing very well. There’s plenty more where that came from!
First earlies (Maris Bard) and second earlies (Charlotte) are planted.
All the tall beans are sown, with extra pots of runner beans to sell at the allotment plant sale.
These coal beans are so shiny! They look like little aubergines in the photo but actually they are very black. They look very attractive in a mixed bean salad.
The strawberries are potted up and hanging in the polytunnel. Just six plant this year as a little experiment to see how they do.
And finally, the chinese leaves I sowed came up within four days!!! The seed packets are in Chinese and the only leaves I know for certain are bok choi. I’ve given the others my own names and written it on the packets so I know what’s what but we’re going to be having some interesting stir-fries over the next few months!
Textile and Place
I’m still buzzing from spending two days at the Textile and Place Conference in Manchester last week!
So many creative people generously sharing their knowledge, skills and expertise completely bowled me over. Each delegate had a different story to tell, but all under the title umbrella, and they told them in many different ways. I have to confess I had to look up just a couple of the words - ;) - not many, as the papers were very accessible and delivered with obvious passion.
This was my first proper, academic conference and, with hindsight, it might have been a good idea to attend a conference before I submitted a paper to speak at a conference! I was very nervous, but the seasoned delegates, who had delivered papers many times before, were extremely encouraging and said, actually they were nervous too. In fact, everyone I spoke to - delegates, organisers and helpers - were helpful, supportive and nurturing. So thank you all for that. Apparently this is not always the case at conferences for other disciplines! There must be something lovely about people who work with textiles. But we knew that already.
I didn’t take many photos as I was too busy, listening, talking and drinking it all in. Here’s just a few to give you a flavour. The first two are of me!
And finally,
“- and to the future!"
