France

[Nicos]

Cloud....

Put the heating back on again last night...it's been getting rather nippy.
Lawns cut yesterday- OH has 4days off to get on with creating - and planting out - the new potager...hmm- it certainly feels like there's a few days of rain ahead!

Hope it holds of until at least tomorrow evening- I need to leave the chooks outside to cool off and give up on being broody!

[TonyF]

Heating on, it was 32 on our terrace today in the sun! Was out in the sun building new steps today and think I overdid the sun a bit.

But lovely and warm last night.

Meteo prevision is for rain tomorrow and Friday (less on Friday) so that would suit nicely. Friday's a bank holiday, so things to do in the morning and then back into the garden - hopefully - in the afternoon tho there is a threat of a lunch with chums on Friday

[Rodley]

Looks like Thursday will be OK (promising a max of 28C) with showers Fri, Sat and Sun.
"Lawn" weeds to sort out tomorrow - continuing the never-ending battle!
The William pear tree I planted about 4 years is showing fruits for the first time - I just hope they stay on. If they do, I will have to thin them out a bit to allow the tree a bit of a chance to cope.

[TonyF]

Grey, miserable and rain 'in the air' all of yesterday but it didn't amount to much. Prevision for today and tomorrow are grim, could be very stormy.

Still, got the steps in and finished now, wasn't too hot yesterday which was a bonus.

Out strimming this morning if the weather holds and then to chums for lunch, may get more strimming done this pm if it remains overcast but not wet.

[Rodley]

Well!! Who watered the potager yesterday evening because it was too dry??? This am it's raining. Suppose I can't complain because rain is always better than the hose and yesterday turned out to be a good one with lots of gardening done and 2 moles killed. OH came home with some more bedding plants for me to put in - that's tomorrow's job.

[TonyF]

Miserableish and so overcast yesterday, showers on and off, far too wet to cut the grass at the back. So I finally got into the shed and gave it the shake out that is needed - like, really really needed. And when the weather calmed down a bit, managed to get some seeds into the raised beds.

Today is glorious but still too wet underfoot to strim or use the lawnmower. Got the garden ready for the garden group this afternoon, plant and seed swap and general chat and then aperos with chums this evening. And the weather is glorious, well over 25 already!

[TonyF]

Wonderfully hot day, gardening group was good, about 10 people and between us we shifted over 200 plants or thereabouts. And none of the 'you didn't bring much so you can't have much' rubbish and I got rid of loads of my excess plants.

Trouble is people left theirs here and somebody has left a box of packets of seeds, nearly all organic and some sooooooooooo interesting, well, it would be rude not to try to grow some wouldn't it

[Rodley]

Last couple of nights have seen a deluge of water come down as well as thunder and lightning. Some of my lettuces are looking a bit washed out - others look OK. I mowed the main lawn yesterday but had to avoid areas where we had standing water! I think the next few days will see little in the way of working on the potager as the soil is too wet. Peas and broad beans are showing some good pods now.

[TonyF]

Same in 24 Rodley, pretty wet underfoot which is seriously precluding working on the soil here or in chum's garden.

Still, other things to do including building a couple of obelisks to grow some of the french climbing beans up and can now do the work in the shed cos it's nice and clear.

[Nicos]

Warm and wet here.
Plants loving it!!!

Walnut tree just opening it's leaves...everywhere suddenly gone very green....lovely!
( any sites over her for blight watch folks???)

[Jardiniere]

I am back and its wet here too! However I have my first broad beans, tons of lettuce, radish and rocket and ONE strawberry. Away one week and everything has sort of blossomed - roses, lupins, SLUGS SNAILS.
2 or 3 pots of beans totally eaten..all of my melon seedlings BUT some of my parsnips have germinated....couldnt see it all properly cos its so WET WET WET!!!!!!

[Rodley]

We've got so much water now that I am thinking of growing watercress!!!
The only thing I did yesterday in the garden because of the rain was pick a pile of ripe strawberries.

[Rodley]

The sunny days are drying the soil and pushing on plant growth on the potager and lawn. La Meteo says we are in for some sunny days (30 on Wed) then rain for 4 days - must be a bank holiday on Thursday if it's going to rain!

[TonyF]

Too tired yesterday and today to do anything heavy so built a couple of trellis obelisks instead to use on my half barrel pots.

Off to chum's garden tomorrow - hope he's done the rotavating at least but as the weather is set fair, looks like a good opportunity to plant out more of the potager.

[Printemps]

Rodley - I am growing watercress and very successful it appears too!

I might eat my words if I can't find a shady part of the garden in which to keep my ex-crépi tub that is home to my watercress, but for the moment it's growing well and the baby plants are really tasty!