DONE: NO.30 - Grow Strawberries, A Sunflower.....Anything

The nursery rhyme goes, 'Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow, with silver bells and cockleshells and pretty maids all in a row'.  In this case, how does Lesley's garden grow - with a lot of bloody luck, success in only some instances and a summer where the weather in Wales was determined to screw me over.   

I grew up in a tower block in Glasgow and never actually lived in a 'house' with a garden until 2001 when I was 33 years old so gardening and plants and flowers and the ability to grow things was/is something completely alien to me.   Our first house, in Leatherhead, the garden we pretty much 'gave over to nature'!   As in, we did nothing with it.  There was a huge tree which kept the sun from the garden and we pretty much left the existing plants and bushes to their own devices - we did though properly have wildlife in the garden with lots of different birds, loads of butterflies and eventually  hedgehogs, squirrels and for a short glorious time, baby fox cubs.

So,to Caerphilly.  Been here for, coming up to, 5 years now and with the exception of a couple of summers ago when I tried to grow some flowers - and did have success - we have yet again pretty much ignored the garden.  But no more!   I'm fed up with the garden being a mess so this year as part of my challenge I was determined to keep the outdoor space tidy and neat and also wanted to see if I could grow something, anything!!!!!     Decided to pretty much hedge my bets and to begin with I prepared some soil and some pots and planted wildflowers, a strawberry plant and some sunflowers.

Had to wait till mid May before I could prepare this as the weather had been pretty crap but eventually I did manage.   I knew it was going to take some time before I'd see any results but when the seeds went in I was SO excited and I really have tried very hard.  I've REALLY tried.  Over the last few months I've kept these plants watered, I've fed them, I've visited and inspected them on a regular basis and I have to admit I have kind of chatted to them and offered them encouragement.  Not going to lie, the chats have occurred mainly at the end of a day when I've had a glass of wine in my hand.  Anyway, after about 4-6 weeks, things did start happening!

 

 Unfortunately, at this point something went horribly wrong with the three pots of sunflowers.  It seems that we had a few too many hungry slugs who I have now discovered really like the leaves of sunflower plants.  So even though at this stage I was really excited and thought the plants looked really healthy, the slugs absolutely devoured them over the next few weeks so I ended up with nothing left in these wee pots.  Thankfully I kind of realised it was happening so introduced a tomato plant in to the garden in the hope I'd still have 3 successes.  The sunflower disaster has definitely pissed me off though, but next year......

 

Still, kept going and made sure to water and feed and check the plants and miraculously, from these green shoots, proper pretty plants started to develop and flourish.   With the strawberry plant, it has always seemed really healthy and I've had a lot of strawberries begin to develop but it's a bit hit and miss as to whether I pick them in time or they start to wither.  But, I've had 5 tasty and sweet strawberries which ain't a lot - but it's better than nothing!

The tomato plant I brought in to the mix late.  I started it off in a pot, looked like it was overgrowing in the pot so replanted it in soil.    I'm 'kind' of chuffed with this plant cos it looks really healthy and I have easily 20 plus tomatoes on the plant but unfortunately they are stubbornly staying green.  I would love them to ripen and go red and become edible but I'm not sure it's going to happen.  But, to me it's a healthy looking strong plant.

With the actual wildflowers.  I LOVE these! Right from the beginning we didn't really know what to expect, these kind of scatter bags are complete lotteries.   You don't entirely know what's going to be growing, or where, and that is very much part of the excitement and fun.  But, the flower patch has really taken, the flowers are strong and wild, and they have been attracting bees all summer.  On average there are 10 plus bees on these plants and the combination of flowers and colours pretty much seems to change on a regular basis.

So, growing strawberries, a sunflower, anything.....I'd say this has been a successful task.  I've enjoyed it, it's been exciting and for sure this is something I'll be continuing.  Next year's challenge definitely involves successfully growing sunflowers - that's my major mission - and I'd like to expand my range of pots and different things.



ONGOING: No.41 - Celebrate a National 'Day Of' Something Each Month - August is National Mountain Climbing Day

National Day of Mountain Climbing was actually last week on August 1st. Not sure why I didn't post  then. It'll be a short post right enough.  Living in the South Wales valleys, and close to the Brecon Beacons means that we have really easy access to mountains.

Although, even tho I have no problem with walking distance, I tend to hate inclines, always have. But, I'm hoping over the next year to start including the odd wee 'hill' in my walks. Maybe as I get fitter it will become easier. Who knows - the next challenge list might include 3 peaks and loads of mountain walking!!!

For this walk however we chose to go for a fairly easy, short walk after work and went for a walk up the Garth which is local to us.   We actually started a fair way up so kind of cheated but, the real walk up the Garth will be included as a Weatherman Walks jaunt later this year. For now, this was the easy version, tho to be honest it's still incredibly steep!

This is one of Stewart's favourite places in the whole world as he grew up being able to see the Garth from his bedroom window.  He also loves it as you really can see for miles - Cardiff, England, the valleys, the Beacons. The views really can be stunning tho they weren't the best today. Still, this was a really nice way to spend an early evening before tea.

ONGOING: No.7: 50k/miles of walking - No.2 of Weatherman Walks - Dyffryn Gardens

We went for our second official 'Weatherman Walks today and it was a gorgeous 6 mile circular walk roundabout the village of Dyffryn in the Vale of Glamorgan. This was mostly a flat walk with no real incline or hills.  It was described as being 5.7 miles, of moderate difficulty and to allow 3 hours - we did come in way under and had plenty of time to relax and explore at the interesting bits.

Thankfully the weather stayed dry which is the main thing really.  Was dressed in fleece and waterproof and quickly had to discard both cos it was still quite muggy.  Summer in Wales this year has been pretty crap to be honest - it hasn't been 'bad' but we've never been able to trust what the weather will be so you've always got to go ready for heat, for rain and for cold - all at the same bloody time!!!!!

So, the walk starts at the National Trust property of Dyffryn Gardens which we haven't yet visited properly - will do soon, promise.  The walk which Derek 'the Weather' Brockway follows is a section of the 65 miles Millennium Heritage trail.  It was fairly easy to be honest, with it being in the Vale we knew it would be pertty flat.  That's not to say we didn't find obstacles of sheep in our way, cows in our ways, bramble ridden paths etc etc.  But it was SO pretty to start with:

First major point of interest was a Neolithic burial ground, Tinkinswood.  In actual fact, this burial chamber is one of the oldest and largest prehistoric monuments in Wales - from 5000 years ago which is properly mind boggling.

So after the burial chamber we kept along through the vale heading to the village of St Nicholas which is described as being like a 'chocolate box' village.  Not sure I'd agree with this description, it was really pretty but no shops and no pubs and no castle!!!!   Nah, it was nice, but certainly not 'chocolate box picture perfect'.   It does however have an example of the best 'post-war council housing in Wales'.  Coming from council housing in Scotland I'd actually argue this is/was the best council housing ever!  Anywhere!  Really gorgeous wee street.  There were folk outside when we took these photos and they were definitely bemused and curious about us.  But what the hell, I'm a council house person and was just looking from an interested socio-anthropological point of view :)

In this wee village there is also an 11th century church - which is always going to be impressive - and it does also have a lychgate.  The village also has one of the oldest police stations - in the vale! I thought this was going to be really historic as in maybe one of the oldest police stations 'anywhere' but no, only really in this area.  The 'funny' thing, Derek thought was that some 'wag' found it funny to alter the painting from 'police' to 'old'. Hahaha?  No, I didn't actually find it that funny.  Not as funny as some of Derek's weather predictions that's for sure!

After this village, we pretty much headed in to the home straight which was mainly through across fields and through farms.  Of course you always stick to obvious paths.  If farmers allow you through their land you should always be respectful and cause least disruption.  We're used to going through farms when out walking but must admit I was a weeeeee bit scared and intimidated by one field we went through where the resident cows were just maybe a little too curious!  They behaved impeccably and are gorgeous creatures but still....they can a be a teensy bit intimidating.

So, on to the home straight - apologies for the length of this blog!?  Thought it would be a fairly boring description of an easy walk - didn't realise I'd want to post so many photos and stuff.  Anyways, after surviving the walk past the cows and through the fields of wheat which kind of reminded me of a horror flick, the name of which I don't quite have to mind we headed towards the end of the walk only to stumble upon our second! neolithic burial chamber - who'd have thunk it!!!!