Flowers / Kirrie Show / Birthday - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 18 July, 2022

by Rosemary at 3:02pm in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 11^th July
 

Pulled all the beetroot – a good crop from a metre or so of bed. The variety was Moneta on a seed tape. Got them all cooked and pickled and I’ve sown another three half rows – that was all the tape I had left. Would definitely do the tape again. Having said that NONE of the parsnips on the tape germinated.

Beetroot Moneta from seed tape .

I think the roses need some new wires.

Rampant roses.

 

Tuesday 12^th July

Grey is settling into his new pen. He’s not hugely happy but it’s only for a week. It’s a much bigger pen than he had over winter, with a bigger hay rack and water trough.

Grey's pen.

I popped to the garden centre and bought a few plants for the bed in front of the office. Purple and yellow theme. There’s a dark purple Buddleia davidii, Salvia nemorosa “Blue Queen, Erigeron glaucus “Sea Breeze Mauve” and Allium “Summer Beauty”

Plants.

Thursday 14^th July

Cleaned out the bed, and started planting.

Before.

During.

 

Not enough plants. So back to the garden centre for more. Sadly, they didn’t have any more Verbascum “Dark Eyes” which I have absolutely fallen in love with Calendula and Petunia, plus Allium. Bit too much yellow in teh planting - should heve been more balanced with the purple. But pleased with it.

Planted up.

Planted up 2.

I saw this Aramis Apricot and just loved it. Doesn’t fit in this bed, but I’ll certainly look out for it for the front beds.

Aramis Apricot.

I took a couple of photos of display beds at the garden centre to inspire me in planting up the beds at the front of the house.

Friday 15^th July

Heavy rain overnight and first thing this morning to put a fair bit in the trough - enough. Baby prefers rainwater to tap water.

Thirsty Baby.

Well, hit sixty and it didn’t hurt. TBH, it’s a privilege denied to too many, so I have no complaints at all. Dan asked me what I wanted to do and we did it, mostly – I didn’t have a lie-in but I did go back to bed with a cup of tea, after doing the morning chore; we had lunch from the kiosk at the playpark in Arbroath – not as weird as it sounds, I hope – they do really good burgers and hotdogs and I fancied a hotdog. Then ice cream – Jaffa cake flavour, which was really good. I did want to see “Mrs Harris goes to Paris” but it doesn’t open until the autumn but my second choice was the new Netflix adaptation of Jane Austin’s “Persuasion” – until Dan read me the reviews.

Saturday 16^th July

Rosedean Aurora and Rosedean Bronte were the stars (although I say it myself) of the RBST Caledonian stand at Kirrie Show. They loaded really well, travelled fine (although Rora did poop on Bronte) and behaved beautifully all day before reloading like a dream for the journey home. They will be exhausted tomorrow – they barely lay down all day.

Kirrie Show.

Great stand – Grant doing “Nail in the Bale” was magnificent! Great wee show – made better by the good weather. Tow genuine interests in Shetland cattle too, which is the icing on the cake.

Saturday's RBST Team.

Dan dropped us off and came back for us – he was doing party prep for tomorrow.

Sunday 17^th July

First job after the morning round was to clean out the trailer from yesterday. Back to reality and not putting the party frock on yet!!

Aftermath.

I’ve had a wonderful day at my birthday party. Fantastic to catch up with friends. It was warm but overcast, so just fine for being outside.

I’m a wee bit concerned about the weather warnings for tomorrow and Tuesday. I think our animals will be sensible. Dan’s taking the week off work to start on the sunken / serenity garden. Exciting.