Lessons not learned yet

This past week I've been struggling to get over a lurgy that hubby unfortunately passed onto me.  I can't complain as I haven't been sick since we were in Europe over two years ago, the odd day feeling a bit off but nothing to leave me lying around feeling sorry for myself.  So last Saturday I was feeling pretty rubbish and thought if I got out into the garden to prune and tidy up, it would take my mind of my woes.  I got quite a bit accomplished but paid for it on Sunday which wasn't a particularly good day.

Super excited to see this rock rose in flower as bees are attracted to the nectar.

  Monday and Tuesday were written off with me just doing the basics and of course going to pick up the bees, I mean how hard is it to sit in a car!  There was a slight improvement on how I was feeling  Wednesday and Thursday I thought I was right to go.  I worked about four hours solid in the garden weeding, composting, planting vegetable seeds and some flowers seedlings.  So how did I feel Friday, rubbish again.  You would think I'd learn not to over do it but no, I've not learned that lesson yet.  On a positive note, I've now got dwarf beans, climbing beans and zucchini seeds planted direct into the garden bed.  I was pleased to discover the beetroot seeds I planted a week ago direct into a garden bed have germinated as have some lettuce and broccoli seeds planted into punnets.

Using a fish tank no longer in use as a glass house for germinating the lettuce and broccoli seeds.  Also house capsicum and chilli seedlings until it warms up a little.

Lettuce seeds in the front, broccoli third punnet up.  It's the first time I've grown seeds so am very excited that these have germinated.

My experiment in vegetable growing so far has been a bit of a mixed bag with the carrots growing in funny shapes (not enough thinning out), broccoli that mostly got eaten by slugs, covered in some kind of mold and also eaten we think by possums.  The cauliflowers grew heads only to about the size of a 50 cent coin, cabbages didn't form hearts and are now going to seed, (two varieties sugar loaf and savoy) and parsnip with odd shapes.  Two punnets of snow peas were planted in close succession as something ate the first punnet.  Two plants remain and the few very small pods that have developed have now got holes in them.  The leeks are still growing, the spring onions are just about ready to pick although there aren't too many, the red onions are struggling, there is beetroot that is ready to be picked but I'm not quite sure what to do with it.  I thought I might roast some or grate raw for a salad.  If I'm really lucky I might have enough to make a relish.

Carrots trying to grow.

Beetroot also trying to grow in the foreground.  I like putting some of the veges amongst the flowers and you can see a foxglove, forget-me-not and perlargonium.

Beetroot ready to harvest.

Savoy cabbage trying to heart.  I think the main reason they have struggled is due to limited sun.  What can you do when you live with lots of shade, not much.

 So yet to go into the garden is corn, pumpkin (don't know how I'll find the room for them) more lettuce, snow peas (from seed this time), more carrots, the purple variety.  I figure if I keep trying, something is bound to work.  I have planted some tomatoes already, a grosse lisse and some bush tomato varieties.  Marigolds have been planted amongst them in an effort to ward off the bugs.

The beetroot seeds I sowed just over a week ago have started to germinate in the garden bed, another first.

Now for some non vegetable gardening photos.  The garden in spring is a delight with bluebells (a favourite with the bees), forget-me-not, azaleas and ajuga.

I potted up some petunias and lobelia for colour on the back deck which is sitting pretty beside lavender already flowering in another pot.

More plants for the garden, many which were bought specifically with bees in mind.

Speaking of bees, we are very happy to see that they are coming back to the hive mostly laden with pollen so the scouts have done their work and let workers know where the food is.  You can see the pollen on the legs of some of the bees, the yellow globs.

We should be able to take away the sugar syrup which has been feeding them until such time as they were able to find their food sources.  Tomorrow all being well, hubby will be lifting the lid to see what state the hive is in, how much food they have and how big the colony is.  So we will be kitted up with the smoker out.  Should be fun and hopefully I can get some photos to share.

Anne xx