Fork'n Monkey Award

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Sunflower War

Jiggy called round yesterday to see if the slugs had attacked my sunflowers. I was pleased to report that they are doing fine... teehee!!

Uncle Pound has supplied Jiggy with some Russian Giant seedlings to replace her slug damaged ones.

The race is on.

Wedding Anniversary

After 14 years of marriage, Spouse came up trumps with a gorgeous Abbott and Ellwood brooch that he said reminded him of me.

Does he really think I have enormous hips?

Sunflower Competition

Bodenham seems to be the most competitive village in England. Now Jiggy up the road has challenged me to grow the biggest sunflower in the village.

I have planted some Russian Giants in the fruit 'n' nut hedge. They did really well last year and are pictured in the new Wiggly catalogue. Jiggy says that hers will be bigger.

Watch this space.

...but no Cake

I now discover that there were cakes and Katie Johnson in the big tent at Malvern. (For years I did the monthly book review with Katie)

All I saw was Joe Swift and some bloke waving a plant pot about.

Aggrieved from Hereford.

To Malvern with Mel

Spent yesterday at the Malvern Spring Show with Mel. We went in Mel's car as it has a bigger boot in which to stuff more plants.

We both got sunburn and spent way over our budgets.

Fantastic!!!

Pheasant's Eye

We staggered home from the pub last night and were hit by a wall of scent in the borders. Some drunken sniffing and staggering ensued and with the aid of Spouse's new key-ring-torch we discovered it was the Pheasant's Eye daffodils.

They are late to flower but well worth the wait. I reckon I should plant some in tubs by the door for next year.

Chick Update

All 4 chicks are doing well and seem bigger every day.

Red Lily Beetle

Another vile pest to add to my garden list is this Red Lily Beetle which Spouse squashed for me last night.

Today I will buy Spouse some beer as a squashing reward and also to put in slug traps.

Slugs have been attacking everything else.

Sparrow Chicks

It looks like we have four little beaks in bird-box cam but no sound on the camera!

Orange Tip Butterfly

Although I think it's from the same family as the cabbage white, the Orange-Tip butterfly does a lot less damage.

I'm hoping the weight of it will force the teasing allium buds to open.

Couch Grass Root

Not content with winning the giant veg competition, Mrs Veg-on-the-edge has now thrown down the gauntlet for the longest couch grass root.

Looking at my veg beds, I'm in with a fighting chance.

Mrs Veg-on-the-Edge is obviously preparing her giant vegetables for the village veg show in August.

Think I will give up.

Unless....

Montezuma's Revenge

In 1519, Cortez discovered tomatoes growing in Montezuma's gardens and brought seeds back to Europe where they were planted as ornamental curiosities, but not eaten.

My seed packet was supposed to contain the seeds of tomato principe borghese however the resulting plant looks suspiciously un-tomato-like.

Insurgent Gardening

18th Century gardeners believed that weeds grew at God's command as a punishment for the sins of Adam.

I'm pretty sure it's the sin of Spouse neglecting to dig out the weeds when he made the terraced beds.

18th Century gardeners considered ridding all weeds as an act of rebellion against the Creator.

I'm off doing a spot of rebelling.

Too Wet to Weed

The weather seems to have been against me all week and it's been too wet to weed after work. I am hoping it will be better on the weekend.

Talking of work, it was the subject of a lovely BBC Video Nation film made by a fantastic girl.

I love my job!

Bio Disc

I hope that Man United beat Barcelona tonight because I need cheering up.

Spouse has shown me a bio-disc installation - this is what is going to be done to my garden next month.

The Best Gardeners are from Manchester.

I'm sorry Greenmantle but having a Father from Old Trafford meant I was brought up following the second greatest team on earth (the greatest being the original giant killing Hereford United).

I am so horrified that I am having a lie down and refusing to play tag.

I lived in Upton Park for over a year so I know what I'm talking about!

Slug Eaters

Wigglies have their own live slug control and I was hoping that we had something similar this week.

Then I read the 'what they eat' section of the RSPB site.

Let's hope the hoglets return soon.

Rocket Man

Mr Forge has got a polytunnel where he is growing some great veg. Look at the enormous pile of rocket he gave us on the weekend along with some home made damson jam.

Good enough reason to cook the Jamie Oliver spaghetti con gamberetti e rucola that someone has probably illegally reproduced here.

Delicious.

Gravel

It was a bit of a damp, grey weekend cheered by the arrival of a ton of gravel.

I think the Veg Plot is almost complete and have had a bean planting frenzy in celebration.

I feel the need for seed!

Wyevale Sale

Wyevale Nurseries are holding a plant sale this weekend which Mel and I attended yesterday.

Spouse's last words before I left were, "You don't need any more plants Missis."

Mine is the barrow on the right. Spouse is not amused.