Seed time

 

I soaked some seeds overnight as I like to give beans and peas a bit of a start.  Not sure if it makes any difference but my grandpa always did it and his allotment was full of plants.  These are leftover seeds so I'll not lose any money if they don't grow.  Peas from Lidl at the back right, Sarah Raven's runner bean 'Polestar' in the middle and French bean 'Blue Climbing Lake' at the bottom.  I'm hoping to save/dry seed from the beans for next year.  I've been doing some research on the subject.  I suspect the peas are a hybrid (packet info is in many languages!!) but the Sarah Raven seeds should be good to save.  EDITED TO ADD - they're actually Meteor peas, first early and pretty hardy.

 

Yesterday I pruned back the bush in this pic.  It was covering the step and anyone using my front door (just the postie really) has to fight their way past it!  I took this pic at 8am this morning with my back against the gate to the back garden.  It's still in the shade but in a few hours it will be flooded with sunshine.  The flat roof is my neighbour's garage!  I live on a hill and her house and garden are a few metres below me. But I was thinking this wasted area could be my fruit garden.  It's sheltered and south facing.  I could easily plant some fruit bushes and they'd be safe from chickens :-)

 

I couldn't resist this reduced mint plant at the garden centre!  I love fresh mint tea.  The mint I brought from my old house didn't survive.

 

And I'm not going to  pass up on a reduced avocado!!

I'm really making the most of my holiday.  The good weather helps. I'm trying to record everything I do here so that when I'm in the middle of the HMI revisit I can remind myself that when it's all over I'll have a lovely garden where I can relax :-)