18th June 2017 - The Great Get Together

This weekend was the anniversary of MP Jo Cox' death and to remember, her husband suggested that people got together and celebrate.  I therefore got a couple of friends from site and we had a BBQ at my plot - Mr L and all of the little L's even managed to drag themselves up there!  We laughed and had some food and drink and it was such a lovely way to remember someone who gave so much to the community.  At a time when there is so much division it is important that we remember Jo's maiden speech when she said...

"that we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us" 

I am certain that Jo will not be remembered as the victim of a terrorist who wanted to silence someone who was fighting hard for the Remain Campaign in the discussion about whether the UK should leave Europe but as someone who stood up for the rights of all people, regardless of their background, skin colour or religion.  She was a proud Yorkshire girl and I am certain that her children will continue to hear wonderful things about her from everyone who ever met her and from many who didn't.  RIP Jo - you were a wonderful human being and you will continue to inspire me and many other people x

Due to being at the plot very late at night I had the opportunity to see all the lights I have at my plot.  I don't normally get to see them because I go home before they turn on so it was really nice to see how they looked.  I particularly loved the bee lights over my arbour and the lights in the pond; they were really pretty.  I also have some ladybird lights in between the windows on my shed; I have seen them lit before but alongside the other lights they were really effective.  I would like to think about putting more lights around the plot, particularly away from the shed and the arbour.

This weekend was so hot (30^oC in the shade!) it was really too hot to do any work.  I tried to weed under the hedge, next to the pond, but even doing that was really hard work.  I did move my potted foxglove into the space and I'm hoping it will seed into the area.  I also found an hydrangea that I planted into the space last year and I'd forgotten all about it, now that I've found it I'll keep the ground elder down and remember to water it.  I had to cut back the poached egg plant because it was so big it had started to dip into the pond.  

The flowers on my bee table have started to bloom and they're looking really lovely.  There's poppies, some cornflowers in both blue and purple and some pink flowers that I don't know but that are really lovely.  I've already started to see plenty of bees around them so it's definitely working.  I am thinking about moving the table at the end of the season because I might put a bench under the shed window.

I've also been able to install a new system into the shed that will let me charge my phone at the plot.  It also has 2 pendant lights that I might hang.  I'm not really sure how they work yet but at least I have a way to charge my phone, which is a big deal especially when I'm up there all day.  I've recently put my name back on the waiting list for another plot.  If the plot next to me comes free then I would put more beds in which means I'd be able to grow so much more stuff including a bigger strawberry bed and a big asparagus bed.  At the moment I can't have very many permanent beds because I just don't have the space.  Wouldn't it be exciting if I had 2 plots to talk about?!  If I did get a plot next to me then I wouldn't need to move my shed or polytunnel, it would just be a case of having plenty of beds to do whatever I wanted.  It would be really nice to get the plot sorted and nice because it really has been left for too long.

Until next time - have a good week and happy gardening!