Thursday 7 September 2017




 Keats called autumn the "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" and it feels like we're getting to that point in the year.
 Picking blackberries is one of the joys of late summer/early autumn. Brambles can choke a garden but I like having a few here and there for some breakfast berries, and bees love the flowers.
 The apple tree we share with our neighbours has had a good year; we've got a decent crop of medium sized apples with a touch of sweetness but nicely crisp- delicious.
 And also some pomme de terre. I rake leaves off the lawn and paths every autumn and put them in a simple enclosure made of bamboo poles and chicken wire. Well rotted leaf mold is an excellent mulch e.g. for ferns. My flatmate chucked a few potatoes in last year's rakings and they sprouted, threw up shoots and produced a crop!