Rain, glorious rain

The rain is wonderful. It is filling the tanks and watering the garden. It's warm enough that popping out for a spot if gardening in the drizzle is possible and even enjoyable.

But then I think back to last November when we had this wonderful rain as well. It was all good, except for the strawberry rotting abilities of constant rain. We lost a decent amount of our harvest due to that rain. Our strawberries are so juicy and sweet, the supermarket varieties hardly compare. Chemical free and plump, I look forward to November when the daily harvest is plentiful.

So now, I am considering how to protect my berries from that glorious rain if it continues as predicted.

A rose by any other name

A rose by any other name, will still smell as sweet.

But a boysenberry by a different name would lead to less confusion.

Especially for three year olds who get horrified at the thought that perhaps their mother has chosen to eat 'poison berries'.

On another note, the boysenberries are ripening up nicely and we are getting a larger crop this year.

I love my garden

The weather is heating up and the plants are growing like crazy.

Berry season has had a stellar start with bowls full of strawberries, sweet and juicy and delicious.

Flowers are adding splashes of colour. Summer veg are taking off with vigour.

I love knowing that I have created this space and being in amongst it.

I love my garden.

Now that the Cup is over... Let's get planting!

Well there is the 'rule' of sorts, to not plant our your tomatoes until after Melbourne Cup day for the Canberra gardeners.

The Cup has come and gone and the seedlings in my green house are outgrowing their pots. So, this weekend I plan to be planting out my tomato, zucchini, cucumber and eggplant seedlings and direct sowing beans and corn.

I am excited at how beautiful the garden is looking already, with flowers and sprawling productive plants. The delight that is still to come enthuses me. It won't be long until the picture that I have in my mind for the patch, will be a reality, and the baskets of summer veg are once again gracing my harvest table.

And in your garden? Well, think about what you like to eat and the size space that you have to plant out. I find that in summer, having an endless supply of salad veg is essential. Even a small garden bed can fit a couple of 'cut and come again' varieties of lettuce, a cherry tomato, some herbs and maybe a climber or two, such as snow peas, beans or cucumbers.

Many of these can be grown from seed, which is much more cost effective. If this is too much hassle in a small patch, look for striking varieties of edibles at your garden centre. Perhaps try some heritage varieties that you can't get off the supermarket shelf, which not only adds interest to your dishes, but flavour!

Happy gardening.