Six on Saturday - Alliums and small plants 9 May 2020

The Prop has shown this week that Clematis are captivating....some beauties there.  So after the day when we thought back to the very real deprivations of the World War 2, and the joy of knowing that fighting was over in Europe, our gardens are ready to show Six on Saturday.

I wanted a theme but couldn't make up my mind from at least three.  This week I have some lovely alliums but I have also been admiring some of the small plants in the garden....

(1) Garlic...not the wild sort that grows in abundance in this area, which is all out in flower now, resplendent.  The sort I love to use in the garden: Allium sativum

Five cloves taken from the outside of a fat head of garlic, grown locally, bought from a friend for Kitchen use last summer.  Two of the cloves grew two plants each, so hopefully I shall have seven heads.  I planted them in September, so let us hope they split into cloves.

(2)  Allium schoenoprasum..a whole edging from two pots only of supermarket chives, divided over two years.

(3) Allium schubertii

Very pleased with these. I have two groups of three in the front garden, and some more in the gravel garden.  A neighbour has taken some pictures and is entering some competition...my pictures are shoot, download and post. 

And now for some of the little things:

You may have seen the standard or rather giant Gunnera, the sort even I can stand under.  A whole clump would probably fit in my back garden.

(4) This is  Gunnera magellanica under which the odd woodlouse could shelter.

Gunnera magellanica leaves have a lovely fan shape, .  I've just moved this to the front edge by the stepping stones...Looking down I feel like a Giant!  It was overshadowed completely before by other plants.

(5) Viola sororia 'Albiflora'

First flowers are just emerging. Compared to the wild ones which have finished flowering, this large flowered one appears to be someone's tasty meal.

(6) Erodium Fran's Delight over in the sunny gravel garden had been in flower now about three weeks. It was only planted in January this year, and came beautifully packed from Potterton's. I am growing, sorry about the pun, to really like this gravel garden effect.  It is a lovely way of growing small specimen plants.  The only problem here so far is having to clear the leaves falling from the Holm Oak, which at the moment is dripping with a large amount of catkins, and the whole thing is humming with bees and other insects.  The odd jay turns up looking for missed acorns too.

Exploring around.

With the fine weather, our daily exercise has been either walking or cycling, or a little combination of both.  A couple of days ago we cycled to Wells Cathedral, parked our bikes, and went to explore just a little way into the woods on Tor Hill.  Still gaining strength, only shortish walks are in order.  The  'Triangular Field' sloping down to the top of Torhill Lane was glorious with many herbs and flowers.

Ground Iv was coming up along the margins

In many pockets in the middle and along the Eastern side alongside the wood, the flower spikes of Ajuga were visible across the fresh growth.

Along the Western edge the pink campion were in bloom

Returning along Torhill Lane 

Torhill Lane edged with Wild Garlic

Back view of Wells Cathedral

Shaggy Highland Cattle

Today a walk close to home with views, climbing over several stiles which we agreed not to touch....

Passing on the way the farm that has been our 'egg depot' recently.

In a Vase on Monday - Jug of Kitchen Herbs

Cathy's Vase this week contains some garden treasures and she continues her Sultry Theme.  Do go over to view a selection of friend's vases joining in with this weekly theme.

In a little Art Deco glass jug a few herbs from the garden make up a collection of flowers and foliage for today's In a Vase on Monday.  

Purple Sage, feathery fennel fronds, the lovely fury leaves of Apple Mint, purloined from the bees the first of the Chive flowers and what I was led to believe Winter Savoury.

Pelargonium Pink Capricorn is a delight.  It is a Scented Leaf Pelargonium, but I have yet to explore its use in the kitchen.  A few of the petals sprinkled over something pale and delicate such as a panna cotta would look pretty.

A few stems of the Rosemary which has not stopped flowering all winter, and in the front this lovely pink herb, all add a lovely floral scent in the Kitchen.  All winter I have been using the 'winter savoury'.  The strong flavour reminiscent of a robust thyme is superb with beans, and in Winter Stews.  Both of these are sustaining many of the bees and bumblebees in the garden.

Knitted Tea Cosy

New made to measure tea cosy and base completed today.  The old one was nearly ten years old.

On old incomplete project in lovely wool and alpaca was unraveled, unkinked, and used....must find some green yarn somewhere to made a second one....

Using Zoom and baking along under my Bread Guru

If you search my posts you will find probably more than one hundred mentions of Jane Mason, so I was delighted to be able to join in on her sixth Covid Cookalong. I had received invitations to previous ones, but only until recently, having been poorly myself with a 'virus', didn't feel well enough or confident using Zoom.  Last week I joined my first Zoom meeting with some lovely friends from the WI....and now I can join in with other things. So thanks to all my WI friends who supported me through my first Zoom meeting!

I first baked Muesli Strangen ages ago.  There are always new tips to pick up...

And guess what's for breakfast tomorrow morning?

Jane also explained some of the sourdough techniques, and how to substitute the rye starter in a recipe: 4% is the key, using about a quarter of the liquid and dry ingredients for an overnight refresh, with the rest added the next morning.