The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies. Gertrude Jekyll

Annie's Little Plot

Annie's Little Plot

Friday 22 November 2013

A colourful autumn

What a skewed year we have had, a very delayed spring and an elongated autumn. The trees are really starting to lose their leaves here in Yorkshire but they have been very colourful, though a year of yellows and russets it seems. Lots of rain this month though and some frosts but also some lovely sunny days when its a joy to be in the garden. The colours are now both above our heads.....
 .....and below our feet.
Annie's little plot, both the blog and the allotment, are getting neglected I've only made it up to the allotment a couple of times this month or so, but its starting to quieten down now anyway. I have managed to plant my over-wintering onions and some garlic but most of the work there is clearing the old vegetable plants and getting it ready for winter.
My sprouts are coming and should be ready soon, and parsnips are huge and sweetening up with the frosts. I've still got leeks and some beetroot though I've not protected them so I'm not sure how long they will last.
I've had a bumper harvest of Borlotti beans that have all been dried and will be used throughout winter, I'm slowly making my way through the squash. The huge rugby ball sized one took a bit of tackling the other night. The 'Hubbards Blue' needed a large meat knife and a mallet to get in half and then I managed to get one in half  again. But I had to put each half in the oven separately they were so big and roast for ~45 mins. I've got a freezer full of soup now!
I'm very excited as I've recently aquired a greenhouse, one of Martin's friend, Bob's friend's mum's! Its a little 6 by 6 greenhouse which is in good condition.
Martin and Bob dismantled it last weekend and its in our garage waiting to be cleaned by me and then we wer going to lay some foundations in the back garden and hopefully get it back up and fingers crossed ready for action in the spring.
The plant of the moment at York Gate has been the gorgeous Nerine bowdenii, here glistening after a rain shower.


8 comments:

  1. The autumn colours are wonderful...I just wish the gloom of winter didn't follow!! Never mind it will soon be spring (she says longingly) and we will all be frantic to get on top of things once more!!

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  2. Your leeks will happily stand over winter - the only problem is when the ground is frozen solid and they won't come out!

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  3. It sure has been a colourful, if late, autumn.
    Enjoy your spouts, parsnips and beans. Lucky you getting that greenhouse.
    That's a lovely nerine picture, sadly mine have now finished. Flighty xx

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  4. Autumn is about a month late here, is yours the same? You have some lovely autumn colours and the fallen leaves are so beautiful. Lucky you, being given a greenhouse, you will have lots of fun in it next spring!

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  5. How lovely that you have yourself a greenhouse, I LOVE mine and know you will have so much fun with yours.
    Gosh, that squash sounds like something else....a MALLET you say???? rather envious of those juicy parsnips, you'll enjoy them a Christmas.
    Wonderful autumn colours, we've had some glorious reds and golds too.xxx

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  6. The autumn colours have looked beautiful haven't they? Glad to hear you've had some sunny days to show them off where you are. My leeks never really got going this year, such a shame after last year - and the reverse is true of my Parnsips! Your parsnips sound as though they'll be delicious.
    Great news about the greenhouse!

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  7. I'm not sure whether autumn is any longer this year Annie but it seemed to arrive later. I've not spent much time on my plot either - too wet after all that rain last month. I've got some garlic in but neglected to plan ahead like you have for seasonal veggies. You will no doubt enjoy them as you will that new greenhouse :)

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  8. Oh, congratulations on gaining a greenhouse, that will open up a whole new dimension. Glad I am not alone in not having cleared all the old veg plants out...

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