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My revamped Newport garden

By 5th November 2017No Comments

A First Blog for me and first Blog Connection of any sort! And only recently had my first visit to Tayport Community Garden, which is impressive and worthwhile, glad to know of it.

There is no doubt my garden and gardening is important to me, so dug back and found picture of most of the front patch as it was 5 years ago (on the right). The one on left is as it looks now. Good to reflect as I am so much happier with revamped version, just love it now!

Probably currently messier than in recent picture but it was SO daunting at first as it was neglected and overgrown – stones, tree roots, brambles and the back garden had triffid-like variegated ivy galloping over a long fence. A solid, but miserable looking summer house leaked and the shed was tipping ever so slightly towards a slope!

A lot to do and look after and I also have been involved with Newport and Wormit “In Bloom” since their inception which is interesting but takes time from my own patch.

I read the September piece about butterflies in Tayport so below is my best picture of a self-seeded (of course) buddleia one sunny Sunday. I believe there was one Red Admiral among the Peacocks on the bush trusses.

A photo of peacock butterflies on buddleya

As for vegetables, I have a small raised bed made (not by me) from recycled railway sleepers. I thought it was quite successful until this year. I do not like snails, slugs or pigeons! I have now a few lacey chard and cabbage. Parsley doing well! I had acquired seed potatoes from friends that I grew in a tub. They are very delicious, just picked on left. Purslane is in the colander, which was a first. It has ancient history. I bought the seeds for In Bloom edible tubs, didn’t last long there, but did ok with me, bit leggy now but fine chopped up into a buttery mix and left to stew. I used flavoured butter that potatoes were doused in, using aforementioned parsley and some paprika and garlic, see pic on right.

It is now well into Autumn, I have masses of collected seeds in no particular order, or not yet, and other sorting tasks outside to do. This is in addition to next year’s planning for my own garden and also In Bloom annual planting to be decided by firstly a small select sub group – should be fun!

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Barbara Bell

Gardening has meant a lot for a long time. From seeds sewing to to looking at colour (can be chaotic) combinations interspersed with recycled stuff. I am much involved with local public space planting. Also have edibles in a smallish raised bed, with mixed results! I look out for ideas for when cooking for my vegetarian grandchildren.

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