How are we half way through 2026 already? I feel there should be a recount!

This is my first day of annual leave. This morning was housework and now blog writing.

May was mostly dry and hot. June so far has been cool, wet and windy. At least the water butts are filling up and there is no need to water the garden and plot on a daily basis.

This is the view from the top of the plot. This area has a new 3 bay pallet composting area. It was intended as the cutting patch but the self-sown trees on the neigbouring plot cast it in shade for most of the day. The two raised beds contain the cutting patch survivors and some annuals sown earlier this year.

The ammi in this bed are compost survivors and as you can see, one isn’t happy. I expect it will be back in the compost heap quite soon.

I was expecting the lillies to be martagon rather than asiatic. They opened to a dark terracotta colour which paired nicely with Chandos Beauty in the vase.

In the second raised bed are annual flowers raised this year: more ammi, zinnia: purple prince and green envy. More poppies which I though were oriental rather than opium. Then what looks like a cafe au lait dahlia (compost survivor) and then most exciting a row of florist’s dill – the first time it’s germinated for me. I’ll thin the row and leave the plants to do their thing.

This is the second year growing Charlotte potatoes in sacks. I topped up the compost as they grew and this top growth looks promising.

Moving along, these two raised beds work well in the part shade with salad and brassicas. Under the yellow netting are/were calabrese. I’d started seedlings but sadly they fried in the greenhouse, so off to the garden centre for a pack of 12. I shared half with my neighbour on the basis of what am I going to do with that many. As it turns out, share them with the mollusc community. There were two survivors when I checked at the weekend. The front bed is a mix of spinach that’s about finished, with the cos lettuce waiting for the space. Two rows of lettuce, then dill, coriander and parsley which are bookended by two curly kale.

I planted out the dahlias and tomatoes on the hottest day of the year – 31st May. They look how I felt by the end but a week later seem to be settling in well, apart from one dahlia Blanc y verde.

The fruit at the plot is doing well. I have more strawberries than I can eat at the plot. There’s even enough to share with the local mollusc community!

The pear trees look promising – I just need to get to the ripe fruit before the plot thief strikes. Varieties are red sensation, Beth and Merton pride.

I ate the first summer raspberry ‘cascade delight’ at the weekend and also deployed the pidgeon/parakeet shield. Autumn Joan J is full of promise.

The blueberries are making their annual bid to escape their extra large cage.

I kept the rhubarb well watered during the hot spell and it responded. I made rhubarb and strawberry compote at the weekend.

The asparagus had a short picking window this year, mostly because I couldn’t keep up with the rate the spears were growing. Its a happy problem to have. The fronds make good a good filler for the vase.

The peonies came and went in the blink of an eye. This is the second and final picking.

I grew this viper’s bugloss for the wildlife patch at the local park. I saved three plants for the plot, who are thriving vs the park, who have not. The contrast with the alchmilla mollis makes me and the bees happy.

The rose walk has struggled this year with edges of leaves turning brown and crispy. I was watering each bush with 20l of water every other day. That improved matters then I noticed Chandos Beauty buds were deformed, then I discovered these shiny green beetles feasting on the petals. Google suggests they are rose chafers. Joy.

These poppies are also compost survivors.

I’ve plans to build an upgraded brassica cage and sow more calabrese this week. If the rain continues, I may be able to turn the soil on the plot extension.