Celia Hart's blog about what's going on in and around her studio.
Art, printmaking, inspirations, gardening, vegetables, hens, landscapes, wild flowers, East Anglia, adventure, travel.

Wednesday, 8 April 2009

Reasons to be cheerful . . .

Gardening is about hope and enjoying this moment


The Peas in the greenhouse –
Purple Podded, Reuzensuiker,
Golden Sweet, Tutankamun,
Carouby de Maussanne
and Carlin


The Polyanthus at the end of the vegetable plot –
Violet Victorians, Silver Dollar,
Marine Blues, Old Rose Victorians
and Chartreuse



The first spear of asparagus –
will it be
dipped in melted butter?
roast with olive oil?
coated with runny egg yolk?


The Greengage blossom about to open –
will the sun keep shining, bringing the bees?
will this be a 'Greengage Summer'?
green blushed,
honey sweet
eaten outside straight off the tree


All photographed in the garden this afternoon.

15 comments:

  1. Asparagus: Total excitement!

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  2. My new asparagus bed has its very first spear too! And oh how I envy you your greengage tree. I love them since my dad used to take me to the Vale of Evesham when I was a little girl, to buy them by the punnet fresh from the orchards. I wonder how many of those old orchards are left now.

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  3. I love your garden Celia. x

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  4. I don't think I have ever tasted a greengage, when I was little we used to play a word game and my dad picked greengage, the theme was fruit. For years I thought he had invented it!
    How many children will ever sample the delights of fruits picked straight from the tree?

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  5. Ooh what a gorgeous post, full of promise. Those polyanthus are absolutely lovely - such subtle colours.

    Fabulous greengage tree. MissP1 and I pick damsons straight from the bushes on the village green in August and September - she gets so excited about these little plums. She and I planted the ppps a day or so ago - we planted them in toilet rolls and drew labels so we'd remember they were our special peas. Thanks again xxx

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  6. Celia, I've never seen peas planted in pots like that. How does it work?

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  7. Oh now that is exciting. Asparagus is sooo good...xx

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  8. Oh gosh I love spring in the garden! It's so inspiring, and exciting to see everything sprouting out!

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  9. The polyanthus are beautiful - I do love that colour palette - I use it in quilting a lot!

    We don't seem to get greengages up here - such a pity as they are lovely fruits.

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  10. Yet again I promise myself this will be the year I get my garden sorted... but I'm not doing very well! My purple podded peas will probably end up in a pot again!

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  11. yummy! i like asparagus roasted. beautiful photos!

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  12. How exciting to see all the green coming up! Love your saying about gardening... so very true.

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  13. Oh! How I want a vegetable garden. My land is all hilly and woodsy, no place to spread out, really. And if I plant in the small garden beds, the deer come and ruin everything. I need a proper plot with a fence around it. I am pining for such a spot.

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  14. Peas have amazing root systems! I just planted mine out this week and they were 9" below the length of the toilet roll. I am fending off slugs at the moment! I envy your greengage tree! Where I grew up we had an enormous tree that was laden every year. Nothing like a ripe, sweet greengage, I hope we have a good Summer.

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  15. Hi Soilman - nothing beats home-grown asparagus :-)

    Hi Threadspider - isn't it sad how the old orchards have been neglected or grubbed up.

    Hi Louise - thank you for visiting!

    Hi Acornmoon - Oh! You must taste a genuine English Greengage, or better still a Cambridge Gage (like mine) they are nectar!

    Hi Silverpebble - peas and damsons -Miss P1 is a girl of good taste!

    Hi Ed - it's easy, just tip them out, tease out each little plant and plant in deep holes round the wigwams.

    Hi Amber - counted 20 spears this morning - tomorrow's the day to make the first cut :-)

    Hi Dowhatyoulove - Spring's well and truly underway!

    Hi Veg Heaven - I grew these from seed from Barnhaven Primulas.

    Hi Gina - I'm sure the PPPs are happy in a pot.

    Hi Petoskystone - simply cooked in boiling water with a poached egg on top is my choice :-)

    Hi Artslice - gardening is philosophy and art.

    Hi Morna - we're lucky that rabbits and deer don't get into the veg garden - just the occasional naughty hen ;-)

    You're so right Matron - there is nothing to match a ripe greengage straight from the tree!


    Celia
    x

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