It’s been a lovely spring so far. The blossoms are absolutely magnificent and the grounds have burst back into life in all different shades of bright green. I was away on food tours around the country for most of last week and when I came back there were leaves on all the grape vines and the maples have burst back into life. 

Of course there are aways a few little jobs you look at and think “Damn, should have pruned that over winter!” but all in all we’re looking forward to a pumper crop of everything this year! The weekend weather has bee very kind to us and our German and American teams have been busy in the garden. The compost turned from useful to inhabited over winter. Endless weedy climbers took hold and the team ripped them all away this morning to find some gorgeous rich fertile soils to use underneath. We’re planting out the little vegetable garden. For a small space, it feeds us and the cottages well throughout the summer and autumn. I’m a huge companion and square foot gardener. If there is something growing down, we’ll have something growing up as well. Years ago, some food tour guests introduced this method to me. They were from Canada where the seasons were brutal and short and there little 3x3m garden was packed full of all kinds of vegetables. It was one of those Big Foody tours where I probably learnt more on the day than they did and I’ll be forever grateful they introduced me to this concentrated gardening method.

Today we’re prepping all the beds, digging in the compost, ash, coffee grinds and worm farm juice. Then we’ll pack the beds with veggies growing down and finish off with the veggies growing up. For example radishes grow down and peas grow up, so we’ll plant the radishes beneath the peas usually with some lettuces in there for good measure too. This works well with really good nourishing soil which we are so lucky to have in this area. The comfrey leaves are about to be wilted, chopped and dug deep into the soil beneath the tomatoes. The potassium in the herb is great for the big feeders like tomatoes. 

With a house full during the summer we eat lots of salad so making sure we have great lettuces, rocket, kale, radishes and herbs is vital We plant a dozen lettuce to begin and add more and more every month as we get busier. I love the radish leaves with french dressing so there are always lots of those! 

The dogs are never happier than when they are with people in the garden and in Nora’s case, helping digging holes!

Come and stay soon!

Elle