Visiting!

Well I have had a super day today!

First up was the return visit to Eva & Sue’s allotments – only about a mile from the Hill – & what an inspiration that was! They have neighbouring full plots – the site is split & their section has about 20 full plots gently sloping down to an access track, with the whole site enclosed by the adjacent gardens.

They made me so welcome & showed me round their impressive plots (Eva had mentioned previously that she’d won best plot last year, & I can see why). They both have a mix of herbs, fruit, veg & flowers, (Eva’s strawberries of particular note, along with Sue’s wonderful herb bed & perennial border), & they use companion planting, netting & weed fabric to good effect.

They both have accessible beds & wide paths – Sue with some paved & stoned, Eva with grass & both with a distinct lack of weeds, I noticed. We had a wander round the site & the girls told me the stories behind the other plots.

I mentioned that I’d had the first of the new potatoes, & Eva said “oh! We are looking forward to digging up the new potatoes next weekend for midsummer – we have them boiled with dill, not mint, & served with herring & schnapps.” Eva is Swedish, & over coffee from flasks & delicious Swedish cake, she told us of their other festivals & traditions – most of which seem to be a thinly veiled excuse for dancing & drinking schnapps, I must say.

All of which gave me a great deal of food for thought as thanked the girls, waved cheerio & went back to the Hill to plant out some LEEKS in the potato bed, & to tackle the front of the plot.

This has been an area wanting attention since I realised that although the six paving slabs afforded excellent access that side of the bed by the road, they didn’t extend far enough towards neighbour Ted’s plot – walking down the path at that side to the front involved a rather larger step than is comfortable.

I forked up all the daffodil & tulip bulbs which would otherwise be in the way of the slabs’ new positions the shuffled them along a bit.

I picked & ate three ripe strawberries then headed home for tea – with new potatoes cooked Swedish style with dill, a fabulous success!