Yesterday afternoon, during a sunny period, I stood in the back garden and for the first time this year caught the scent of clover.
We had let our grass go uncut for 'no mow May' and as a consequence the buttercups and daisies and the long grasses were able to bear the weeks of what until recently was classified as 'drought'. Since the weather broke the clover under the apple trees has flowered. Now I am reminded of summers in my childhood - sunshine and showers and rushing out to sunbathe for ten minutes before clouds came over the sun.
The rain has been good for some of our crops - the chard and kale that my husband pricked out into a raised bed, the beet spinach that he sowed from seed which is now up and doing better than my usual efforts.
The runner beans are slow to flower; peas and French beans are extremely slow to germinate inside or out. Slugs are eating my sunflowers which I planted out too early in the sun. Time to sow another batch.
Every year presents a different challenge. Last year the squashes took their time. This year they are thriving in their very expensive sheep's wool compost.
We are blessed to have such a variety of vegetables and salads to sow and to be surprised by what succeeds year by year.
