Last night I was tapping away in earnest on the laptop. It’s time for another Garden Share Collective update.
What’s happening at Frog Pond Farm?
The garlic is growing great guns, as are the leeks.
The brassicas are starting to get some size and those broad beans have finally started to flower. The salad garden is bursting with greenery and my golden Detroit beetroot are showing some fancy colour above the soil.
Coriander flowering the beneficial insects love this
Our orchard is still sleeping, with the exception of the almond tree which is boasting some blossom already!
My garden never ceases to amaze me. I wish I had the same vigour .. I would bottle it and make a fortune! If only ..
Seriously though, there is something so special about growing your own food. I can’t believe that I enjoy lugging a watering can around a hillside splashing foul smelling brew over my plants while offering words of encouragement to plants as I slip and slide down the slope, or pout as I spy new slug damage on my brassicas (cheeky).
Harvest
We are enjoying a variety of herbs – all the usual ones of course, plus others that are a bit fancier .. chervil, lemon grass, pineapple sage and Vietnamese mint (a favourite in Asian salad dressings).
Beautiful pineapple sage
Needless to say, those wonderful self seeded lettuces (Freckles) are doing a fine job thrown into Caesar salads with a mix of bacon, anchovies and chunks of bread cooked in garlic and melted butter (oh delicious – not everything has to be healthy does it?).
And then there are beetroot, NZ spinach, celery, fennel, lemons, peas, carrots, spring onions and yacons dug and hoisted from the damp soil. Perfect!
Does it count that I have been raiding the freezer too and enjoying peaches and strawberries from summer months baked in pies and topped with crumble?
Don’t know about you, but nibbling on peas straight from the garden while taking photos is my idea of fun.
To Do
- I have prepared my summer planting plan but it needs finessing
- Sharpen the secatuers as the pears and apples will need pruning soonish
- Sow some flowers and other salad veg for those summer gardens which I can’t stop dreaming about
- Weed, feed and throw around gardening cheer
- Toss the compost
- Feed those wonderful worms in my ‘worm farm’
- Get out and about more with my camera
- Take photos of the brilliant meals hubby cooks
- Throw more mulch about in the veg garden
- Contemplate building a chook tractor (Dan where are you?)
- Scratch my head and wonder why I didn’t prune the feijoa trees – whoops!
That’s it from me. .. happy gardening. And a big thanks to the lovely Lizzy for this great monthly initiative.
Just for Francesca!
Julie, so lush and productive. I don’t know what I want to eat first from your place. You will probably laugh when you see my post about the broadbeans. I have pulled them out, flowering and all. They just don’t produce so well for me and I want the space for bigger and greater things.
Hi Miss … honestly, if they hadn’t started flowering I would have seriously considered hauling them out too. I planted them late this year and wondered whether they wree going to do their thing or not 😀 Thanks for dropping by …
You’ve been busy. You are able to grow a lot of things through your winter. Here everything freezes and we have a lot of dead, brown plants until sping-time. Love the photos, especially the horse and rider on the beach.
I should be busier Tim! 🙂 We are so lucky to have a winter garden. Thanks for stopping by …
How do you grow such healthy looking carrots? Mine always end up looking like small, twisted little aliens! I’ve tried a few times at growing them, without success. My pineapple sage is looking beautiful and healthy right now, just like yours ~ now that’s a very easy herb to grow! Do you ever get snow in Auckland? Whatever you winter weather has been doing, your plants are looking very happy…or perhaps it’s the foul smelling brew and encouraging words that are helping the most. 🙂
Hey Joanne .. pineapple sage is a beauty isn’t it? I stuff it into the juicer in the morning. Wonderful flavours. No it doesn’t snow in Auckland which is just as well – out climate is fairly temperate. Those plants are starting to look very happy … I think it is that homemade brew and those words 😀
So inspiring! Our winter weather is like Timothy’s weather. lots of brown and crispy. Beautiful pics. Love the lavender and butterfly. Gorgeous as always Jules xx Found this in Reader. Yay!
Hey Miss … Brown and crispy? Really? No, ours is lots of rain, wind and a bit more rain and sunshine. Glad you like the pics Robyn – thank you. I think your blog is inspiring that’s for sure. Glad I appeared in the reader .. good! 😀
Awww, thanks my dear, what would a Frog Pond Farm post be without a lovely sea shot, and that is a beauty!!! I love your garden too and love the way you must crawl around on the dirt to get those fabulous shots. Coriander is such a delicate little herb but you get right in there and bring the flower to us.
I am also keen to see what Mr Frog Pond Bonner cooks for dinner with the produce from your productive garden. Cheers, Julie.
I couldn’t have a post without a beach shot .. that’s the norm now for sure! Glad you liked it too. I do get in some interesting positions. The weather has been so ‘damp’ lately good shots were elusive. Isn’t coriander just the best? Wonderful little delicate flowers. As for the Mr Frog Pond Bonner .. he is a whiz in the kitchenm, I’m so lucky 😀 Take care F
So much stuff!!! I love seeing the abundance in your garden Julie. Yesterday I came back from the car boot sale with an armload of plants. I love those scraggly plants people divide from their gardens and offer to others. Today I have to plant them all somewhere…and go build the garage extension…lol. But here’s the funny thing, the chickens in the meadow have suddenly stopped laying eggs. And I know they’re not my chickens, (they belong to an absentee owner, who has an absentee caretaker, who both don’t eat eggs and come around about once per week/two weeks to fix things, and tells us to please take all the eggs we want because they only feed the dogs otherwise), but I save those girls all the kitchen scraps and treat them daily. No idea what that’s all about, (don’t know the first thing about chickens). Polly, the caretaker, told us last week that the owner wants her to move the chicken run to a more grassy area and also make it twice the size. That might be nice for the girls and they might start laying again. 😀
Hey V, I can just see you with an arm full of plants! LOL … Ah those chickens have stopped laying. That’s interesting .. bit early for them as it is still your summer isn’t it? I would understand if it was closer to winter. Gosh, I’m not sure really. But a move to a more grassy are would be super! Sounds like a good plan …
Hi to you both, once again great photos. Yes it is that smelly stuff you make I’m sure they grow fast just to get away from that smelly shock! Well we are back to summer again I’ve got a tree that has died planted in a pot was going to cut it down, but instead I am going to buy a climber of some sort to grow up it. Yes andrew is a good cook takes after (I won’t be so modess )! The time is moving fast so won’t be to long befor im back again, looking forward to seeing you all again.LOL Bill xx
Hello Mr B .. glad you like those photos. I reckon that smelly stuff is the answer – ha ha ha. Did that tree die of natural causes Bill? 😉 Andrew is a wonderful cook (we know that don’t we?). Watch out for the next blog … Yes won’t be long before you are here – and back in my kitchen! Yay … Hugs
Yes it died of natural cause. By the way what is the flavour of the soup that cleans your hands maybe we could market it! lol xxx Bill.
It always amazes me how productive your garden is through winter – we just have leeks. I have mixed success with coriander as it runs to seed so quickly so this year I’m waiting till summer is nearly over before I sow any.
Hey Anne .. it amazes me too. 😀 That coriander is self seeded and is a massive plant. I don’t mind that it is flowering (surprising given all the rain). That and dill I always have problems with. Take care …
Wonderful close up shots – the carrots do look so perfect! You always sound so cheerful about all your chores and that makes your posts doubly delightful.
Oh thank you! Those carrots look particularly cheeky – poking out of the ground. I will be hoisting them out any day now. Blushing .. I appreciate your lovely comment too 😀
As usual, splendid garden, splendid flowers and vegetable 🙂 It must be quiet to live there 😉
Oh thank you …
Gorgeous photos! Thanks for sharing 🙂
You are very welcome and thank you for stopping by 😀
love that butterfly pic, Julie! and all the others too of course, always nice to go for a ramble with you. My Asian salad was completely eaten by flea bugs, terrible things, ate the rocket too. Glad I still have things they don’t fancy ;
Hello Miss hope you are better. One lovely butterfly flitting around my garden – I so enjoy taking photos of them but I always have the wrong lens on. 😀 Shame on those flea bugs! For me, it’s slugs and snails ..
far to hot and dry for them buggers, thankfully, must send some toads over to you some day 😉
Lol …
Your garden just never stops does it? Everything so happy and healthy! Love those little garlic plants 🙂
Let me know if you need advice on what not to do when you decide to make a chicken tractor, haha!
Hey Dan .. no it never does, lucky me. And if I follow more of your feeding regime it will go gang busters! 😀 Those garlic are starting to get some height too. Couple of months and they will be looking fabulous. Now is you lived closer that chook tractor would be a reality! LOL
Haha, well you got the worm bin underway, so I have faith 🙂
Very beautiful images as always Julie! Have a great week ahead! 🙂
Hey Josephine .. oh thank you. I’m going to get out and about with my camera this week once it stops raining. 😀 I hope you have the best week too
Thank you Julie! Seems to be a good week for us. At the moment we are in London and the weather is fine. I’ve taken a lot of photos and got a lot of cakes with coffee. I’m a little afraid of tomorrow because a tube strike will take place here. This could be very exciting with 15 million people living here. We will see…. ;-))
I bet you get some amazing photos. Would love to see some of those cake and coffee shots 😉
Wow! Everything looks so good! Your winter garden looks far better than my summer garden. Between the heat wilting and Willow trampling I should be happy we have a garden at all! It looks like you have lovely light for your camera. Judging from the size of that leek behind the garlic you better get Andrew to make some soup. Wonderful update!
Bob hello! Yes the old garden is looking pretty good. Wait till I get some brassica pics – oh that will be bragging! ha ha Yes that leek is getting some size. And I just might hoist it out soon for the chief cook in the house! Some food pics coming your way soon! Take care
After reading your posts and seeing your awesome photos I always feel a little embarrased about my garden photos. that carrot popping out of the ground is amazing. I love spreading foul smelling stuff in the garden. Costa was talking about weed tea and my hubby overheard him syaing it smelt really ripe and I saw him nodding in agreement.
No never! Your garden is wonderful … Ah, the cheeky carrot , it does look pretty good. Another foul smelling fiend about! Yay … I love the stuff. And I have found a wonderful soup that removes the smell from my hands (no I’m a horror I don’t wear gloves). Ha ha … it does smell ripe. All the better!
Your photos are just wonderful! What you do in that garden is inspiring!
Hi Angeline … oh thank you. I’m pleased that you think it inspiring. I get so inspired by our wonderful blogging world. 😀
Enjoyed your post, is that some self seeded cosmos coming up between the garlic? I’ve always got them popping up.
I’m pleased that you enjoyed the post. 😀 Yes that is self seeded cosmos. I planted it originally in the vege garden this year (a first time for cosmos) and hauled out the plant at the end of summer as you do. So nice to be enjoying those flowers in the winter months too, I’m a great fan of self seeding plants.
Your garden is gorgeous and I’m impressed that you’ve already planned your summer planting. Well done!
I enjoyed the photos!Your garden looks so fresh and pretty, while mine is bedraggled heat worn and grasshopper chewed. It’s maybe how I feel at the end of our summer too. Lol
Oh dear grasshopper chewed! I would be in tears. Thankfully in the warm months they aren’t a problem. Ah, but we have other pests. Glad you enjoyed the pics. It is raining today so it is a very very damp garden 😀
You live in paradise!!!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Hey Linda … you know what? I think so too 😀
I would like your winters…they are out springs.
So much goodness Julie…I love coriander and the flowers! So good for the bugs and I have even been known to decorate cakes with the tiny flowers when other flowers have been in short supply. Beautiful, clear photos. Is that you on that magnificent horse…oh my! x
Hello Jane .. how lovely to know that you have stopped by again. The bugs love coriander indeed .. I bet those cakes looked lovely decorated with those tiny flowers. How I wish that was me on that horse. No I was behind the camera .. and loving it as always. Big smiles your way
so gorgeous and pleasant pictures 🙂
Hey thanks Joshi .. as always thank you! I appreciate your comments … 😀
Munching on sugar snap peas and chick peas are my favourite Lovely Lady. Gorgeous post!
Gosh. Everything is alive and lush already! If there is a better snack than fresh peas I’d like to know what it is …
What stunning photos you have shared with us. You winter garden has such a wonderful variety of herbs and veggies.
Your photos give me the urge to get soil under my fingernails. Love them.
Good! There is often soil under my nails 😄
Nibbling on anything straight from the garden – except maybe garlic — is great. Asparagus straight from the garden tastes very different than store-bought.
Hey Cynthia .. I bet it does! Something I’ve never grown 😀 thanks for stopping by ..
Hi Julie. On the face of it your to do list doesn’t look so bad. But we all know within each task is a mountain of mini tasks, but I’m sure you will be able to get through them. Your garden looks so much more productive than mine. Looking up at your hillside from my sodden swamp makes me feel a little bit green…
Oh and as always, your photos are incredible.
Cheers Sarah : o )
Everything looks so beautiful. Amazing photo of the butterfly! <3
I don’t own a laptop… I have an old desktop and an even older IPad!