Gardening
in France 2008
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April and May here in the Limousin were wet wet wet. We worried that we might be in for a repeat of last year but now at the end of June we are in the middle of a dry spell and well on our way to getting some crops |
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These are Marmande which we bought from Gamme Vert along with some Supersteaks. We have sown seeds for Gardeners Delight and also Garden Pearl and might yet have some success with them.
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I am registered to provide garden
maintenance services in the Limousin Garden Maintenance Service |
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The butternut squash, hooligan, pumpkins
and cucumbers are all doing really well
 and
in danger of taking over the whole veg plot. I have decided to add them
to my list of plants that make you look like you can garden along with
peas and beans. You can always rely on beans. No wonder they are a
staple peasant food. The Hooligans have been a
good talking point with French neighbours as the seeds don't seem to be
in the shops here. But the proof of the pumpkin is in the eating so
we'll see.We didn't buy any of the larger pumpkins but one has turned up anyway, a volunteer from the compost. It's slightly getting in the way of the cauliflowers but the plant is so splendid we just have to keep it. Perhaps we should of tried transplanting it before it got to Little Shop of Horrors proportions.
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 The
leaf crops have not done too well even though this Swiss Chard is looking
pretty good. Germination seemed to be patchy but with hind sight it was
probably the slugs hoovering up the seedlings as soon as they appeared.
We have sown additional seeds and the rows are filling in.The other problem has been holey leaves caused we think by flea beetle which has made the salad leaves inedible for us at least, although the chickens did appreciate them. Oh and we've got beetroot, salsify, peppers (bought in), leeks (bought in), something sold as perpetual celery that actually turns out to be lovage, huckleberries, aubergines (very tiny may or may not amount to anything), carrots and onions.
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We've tried a bit harder to add some colour to the garden this year.
 It's
all very exciting growing food but it's also good to have somewhere
pleasant to sit and watch it grow. We have created a patio area using
broken roof tiles.The annual flower seeds that I sowed direct unfortunately were a no show. (I just have to work on my seed growing skills) but luckily the lavender bought last year has completely filled the little bed at the front of the house with the bonus that it's scent fills the living room. Some pelargonium (bought in) look pretty good in the old wooden wheelbarrow we found under the lean to (yes I can see the grass needs cutting too busy doing other people's that's the trouble) and the hydrangea that defied our best efforts to bury it in rubble from the cellar is in bloom. |
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Joy
oh joy after trying seeds more than once and buying plants in to no
avail last year. This year we finally have the promise of home grown
tomatoes.