Vivi's Kitchen Garden

During a rare day off I get the treat of the year…….a day out at Kew Gardens with the wonderful Richard and Paul. It was a truly special and magical day with so much to see and wonder at. Here I share my excitement over the various vegetable and herb gardens. In part 2 I will be sharing some of the amazing structures and sights around the gardens.

It is finally time to harvest the precious Coco de Paimpol…..my favourite and, now, most treasured bean……they thoroughly deserve the time and attention they will get over the coming days during this very narrow window of harvesting opportunity. As more and more beds are harvested my thoughts turn towards winter and how I will manage my fallow spaces to give me the best start to next year……

A typical day in the kitchen garden at this time of year sees me harvesting for meals for the following week (or more) and harvesting for veggies to store for the winter months. The colours coming out of the garden are beautiful at this time of year.

Another month has flown by and the garden is starting to look very different from how it did at the beginning of August…..the season is changing and the garden is letting me know it will soon be time to slow down.

While my lovely plot friend Katherine is away on her honeymoon it’s time for me to sort out her wedding present……I have no money for a gift…..but she will appreciate this more than something I could buy from a shop. As I tend to my garden I spot it…….argh….yes…..the first signs of blight are all around me.

This is a bit of a departure from my normal monthly round up and reflection……because…..at the eleventh hour my old camera was found…..and although the camera itself was pretty dead, the memory card still worked……it was a beautiful reminder of the importance and joy of being part of a beautiful community.

It’s the time of year to start keeping a close eye on all the beans……depending on how you intend to store them will dictate when to begin harvesting. I need to start harvesting the beans which I will freeze as ‘demi-sec’. A long awaited treat is my reward for the day’s work…..I prepare one of my favourite meals in the shed with produce harvested just seconds before…..

The garden is looking a bit tatty so it’s time to get out the tools and have a bit of a tidy up. I also get to play with some brand new net tunnels.

It is time to start harvesting the lavender – one of the most heavenly jobs to do in the garden……a time to go slowly and indulge in the moment. The herb bed was planted a little over a year ago and has done really well……most of the plants are happily established now……some of them too well so it’s time for a rethink and a rejig….

I’m always on the hunt for material to mulch with…….I have used up all the grass clippings I made from the communal mowing so it’s time to look elsewhere…..I head to the compost bins. I also make the most of a tiny bit of free soil space to sow some more seeds…..