I made it to the allotment yesterday, mid-migraine, for the first time in 10 days. What with the house-moving and a (currently) insane work schedule, there’s been no time for the veg patch. In my absence we’ve had warm weather plus a monsoon rain of biblical proportions – and the baby plants have LOVED it.

First of my mum’s broad beans

Mine will take a few weeks yet before they’re ready. The rain has made the leaves filthy and they’ve had insect damage, but we’ll get a good crop.

Three attempts later, we have carrot seedlings!

The tulips have all gone now, their black and orange tones replaced with the delicate purples and pinks of the alliums and foxgloves. The bees are lapping up the nectar greedily.

The monster alliums

Foxgloves are gloriously weird

Pretty pale apricot foxglove

The heat has brought along the soft fruit; we have fat strawberries, redcurrants and blueberries just waiting to ripen. And as for the hops – they are heading to the heavens.

First strawberries are ripening

The hops on an early June evening

Glorious sweetpeas

As I left my allotment neighbour Alex turned up, looking cool-as-you-like with her powder blue vespa and leathers.

My allotment neighbour Alex turned up with her very cool blue vespa

This weekend is marked in the diary as MOVING HOUSE. So hopefully, when the boxes are moved and the wardrobes are dismantled and re-mantled (is that a word?), normal service will resume on Veg Patch.

Planted Out: Sweetcorn, leeks, zinnia, verbena, grand green beans