Dorset Garden Diary - A Lot Can Happen in Two Weeks

Since all that gardening over the Easter weekend, my back is telling me I am at the age where I can't do that anymore. Over the past couple of weeks (whilst we were on holiday) I've been able to sit, I've been able to walk, but going from sitting to standing up straight, well, that's been a bit of a problem. It's easing now, so today I've been careful.

When we came back from holiday, the cucumbers and the tomatoes had nearly tripled in size

and the orchid that had a flower open now has four

We've had cooler days this last week and cold nights so I've been covering the peas and the courgettes overnight to protect them from potential frost

I'm hardening off the outdoor tomatoes before I plant them out

The lettuce are doing well

The potatoes I planted at Easter (I suspect these are the culprits regarding my back - all that bending down) are coming through

and talking of potatoes, I opened the composter this afternoon and there are potatoes growing inside it!

The clematis over the arch is now in full flower

and growing amongst it is wisteria. We've been here six years, it was planted by the previous owners and it's hardly grown let alone flower, until now, and the flowers are a gorgeous purple and white

 

The fruit trees have now shed all their blossom. It looks like it's going to be a bumper crop for the birds on the sour cherry tree

I thought I'd over-pruned the pear tree but there are some fruit starting to appear

and there's plenty on the plum tree again this year, fingers crossed we don't have another early drought and lose most of them again

I also gave the apple tree a good pruning and a good talking to as it hasn't produced any apples since we've been here. Well...it appears to have worked because there are actually fruits starting to show!!

Elsewhere, the geums are flowering well, they didn't like last year's dry weather

 

We have two white tulips that I haven't put in but most welcome

The antirrhinums are growing in abundance and wherever they feel like it

Yellow irises, they're a mystery as well, but also welcome

And today whilst I was weeding (carefully) I came across quite a few plants growing that I don't remember seeing last year, so I'll have to wait for them to flower to see what they are.

I planted more carrots, spring onions and radishes and thinned and re-planted the beetroot. I've re-potted the apricot seedling which has grown over six inches since Easter

and I also re-potted three avocados that have sprouted, an almond and another walnut...isn't nature wonderful!

Well, that's it for this week. Looks like it's going to warm up slightly during the week before getting cold again but we are expecting rain midweek which saves on the watering. Have a good gardening week and catch up soon.