Charles Dowding

I emailed Charles Dowding to let him know that I used his book as a guide for setting up my new allotment and the community garden. He replied:

Hello Lorna

Many thanks for this, it is encouraging to hear you have done all that with just the book to help you! It makes all the writing worthwhile, to have feedback like this.
Funnily enough I am just doing a piece for Amateur Gardening on the virtues of no dig and the lead photo is something like in your piece:

best wishes
Charles

Look at the incredible salad beds on his homepage!

PS: I have just gone 'public' with my blog now that I have a little more time with my son starting school. So if you like what you see, please follow, share, get in touch if you like. Thanks!

Take Your Time

Sunflower and romanesco calabrese flowers.

Calendula (pot marigold).

Calendula seed head.

Teasel seed head and french bean and borlotti beans.

As I lie on the grass at my allotment, eyes closed feeling the warmth of the sun on me, I can hear the earth being attacked with spades and forks all around. This is the time of year when everyone panics and start frantically clearing patches of land that have become busy with weeds during the summer. Someone will proudly announce, "I've got my onions, broad beans and garlic in". Like they've just run a race and are waiting for a prize. It makes me smile. There is a lot going on in my plot. The badgers have been having a good old munch on my sweetcorn. The slow worms are preparing to bed down for the winter. Seeds are being scattered in the wind. Pods are drying to a hard crisp shell. The worms are mixing in the manure for me. There's no rush.