It’s now high summer. The weather is scorching hot. Most of the plants in the garden are yellowing and wilted from lack of rain. Our lawn vaguely resembles the African savannah. Insects and birds are flitting about. The flowers are beginning to turn into fruits. It’s a long time since I posted on my blog. I intended to keep a more step by step blog of The Good Life, (my permaculture project), but unfortunately life got in the way as it often does. I had a virus which left me bedridden for a month, too tired to do any blogging. Thus I only have a setting out post, Sowing seeds at The Good Life, and a culmination of The Good Life post. I’m grateful to my super mum for keeping my project going and turning it into a full reality. Also grateful thanks to my carers who took some of the photos in this post for me. I think you’ll agree their photos are very professional. Some of the photos were taken back in June which explains why it’s looking a little more lush than the current garden. I have still managed to visit it myself and am enjoying eating the grub growing there!
My mum made this flower display out of an old pallet. I think you’ll agree it’s very pretty and colourful.
I’m fortunate in having a large patio, as you can see. However, it is still possible to grow your own food in smaller spaces such as a balcony or even a window sill. With the threat of crop failures by 2030, plots like these could be important in coming years.
I brought another raised bed for extra growing space. I planted radishes, chard and spinach in it. The new raised bed is made out of recycled plastic. I’m aware that recycled plastic is somewhat controversial. However, I figured that, with so much plastic already in the world that doesn’t degrade, recycling it is better than just dumping it in landfill. Being plastic means that it’s sturdy and, of course, durable. I brought it from the company, British recycled plastic. It provides raised beds in a variety of sizes. I chose the highest level, 750 mm. It’s the perfect height for reaching from my wheelchair.
For some reason the chard is faring better than the other plants. I don’t know if it’s drought resistant?
In my old raised bed I attempted to grow rocket, salad leaves and spring onions. The rocket was brilliant for adding taste to a salad. Unfortunately it didn’t thrive for long. Nor did the spring onions truly take off.
No salad is complete without some kind of leaf. Growing it myself cuts down on plastic packaging along with food waste because shop-brought salad leaves often don’t last long. It’s also cheaper as shop-brought salad leaves are often surprisingly expensive. We grew it in upcycled mushroom containers as you can see in the photo.
I intended to grow a greater variety of bean but this was curbed by goings on. However I managed to still grow sugar snap peas like I did last year. They are super tasty. You can truly taste the difference, compared with ones brought in shops.
It turned out to be a good place for wildlife, friends and family to hang out too.
This is a long-tailed tit fledgling. A group of brothers and sisters were hopping around in the birch trees that overhang my garden fence.
A patio table which I ‘burrowed’ from my parents. It’s alright though. They’ve brought a bigger one for their patio!
My potatoes are flowering. I hope I get a better crop of them this year. Last year they were more like potato chips than potatoes. We planted proper seed potatoes this year so hopefully this gives us a better chance.
I hope you’re all managing to stay cool and protected during these record breaking heatwaves. Look after yourselves and blessings on your own harvests (whatever they may be!)
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