I took Bitey up to the allotment earlier for some exercise and so I could see if the seemingly neverending rain had turned the ripening soft fruit to mush. It hadn't, surprisingly - as can be seen in these photographs.
And both Bitey and me got more exercise than I'd planned for! (A brief synopsis of events can be found at Ms Scarlet's.)
The raspberry canes are a little battered (although I think that's down to the pigeons, not the rain) but the ripe fruit is, rather surprisingly, not mushy.
Young apples (which I MUST thin out soon lest the weight of them break the branches as happened last year).
Young greengages. This is a heavily cropped photo that was supposed to feature those greengages in the foreground, but I didn't realise that Camera decided to ignore them and focus on the piddly little ones in the background!
Allotment HQ smells heavenly thanks to this honeysuckle.
A MASSIVE purple foxglove with tiered rosettes of flower spikes surging up from the base, and an almost pure white one on the other side of the allotment.
Once past the fruit cage, the allotment seems to be all flowers.
After picking a few ripe loganberries & raspberries, we left the allotment and Bitey promptly disappeared into trees and bushes on the right of this photo.
While Bitey was buggering around doing who knows what in the undergrowth, I found this spotted orchid (the likes of which I've only ever seen on the cliffs before) ...
... and this beautiful vetch flower.
Glorious photos of the orchid and the vetch!
ReplyDeleteYour allotment is overburdened with fruit - maybe you should think of making some loganberry gin?! [I'll put my name down for a few bottles...] Jx
Ooh, now there's an idea!
DeleteStunning!!!!!! I LOVE blueberries and raspberries both!
ReplyDeleteWhile there are no blueberries up at the allotment, I do have some in the garden!
DeleteThat Vetch flower is a find! Beautiful. My Foxgloves are dying off, can't say I mind because as you rightly pointed out they did become a little bit intimidating!
ReplyDeleteAre you making jam this year?
BTW, Beaky is here devouring Strawberries!
Sx
The vetch is beautiful, isn't it! I've never seen them like this before - I'll have to collect some seeds when it's time.
DeleteIf Ihave any loganberries left after making Jon's gin, then yes, jam is on the cards.
P.S. I have a niece who arrives unannounced and eats the strawberries here. Beaky doesn't get a look in!
Geißblatt smells very nice. Do you have some phlox too ?
ReplyDeleteIt really does, Mago. I could stand by Allotment HQ wafting the door back and forth for ages!
DeleteAnd no, no phlox up at the allotment or in the garden. I'm pretty sure Jon will have some in his Extensive Gardens, though.
Only FOUR varieties... We love 'em! Jx
Delete