Sharing my Kitchen Garden with the Wildlife

This weekend I have been preparing my kitchen garden for planting. After digging the plot I have planted 2 rows of potatoes and 2 rows of onions. The onions were kindly donated by my neighbour. 

I had a bit of a surprise when I took some of the weeds to our compost heap, when I lifted the old carpet that covers it I found a nest of about 15 slow worms. They looked a bit startled but I put the carpet back down and left them in peace. 

I usually grow my own tomatoes and cucumbers from seed in the greenhouse, but this year I am going to buy them from our Village Plant Sale that takes place on 11th May at the Village Shop. 

Spring Has Sprung

1st of March and the first day of Spring. I am lucky to have quite a big garden and I love gardening. 

We have a very productive veg patch, 2 greenhouses (from Frecycle), summer house, potting shed, wildlife pond, chickens and Kune Kune pigs. 

Springtime sees me quite busy in the garden, cleaning the greenhouses, digging the veg patch and sowing seeds.

I have opened my garden to the public in the past, including Transition Stroud's Edible Open Gardens. 

Our Kune Kune Pigs

In 2011 we got 2 Kune Kune pigs, they are called Pippa and Katie.

They are a native breed of New Zealand and we chose them because they are the smallest  breed of pig. 

We run a pig keeping workshop through Transitions Stroud as it has become popular for people to keep pigs in there garden so that they can then produce meat that comes from pigs that have lived happy lives outdoors. 

Whiteshill and Ruscombe Open Gardens

In May 2012 I organised the village open gardens through the NGS.

I first contacted them in Nov 2011 and said I would like to do something in Whiteshill and Ruscombe. A representative from the NGS then came and visited some gardens, including my own, to see if we were suitable and to the standard the NGS visitors would expect. 

The representative was very impressed and though it was such a lovely area with wonderful views. 

I then spent the next month going around the villages putting notices through doors asking for people to join the event. 

The open garden event took place in May and we had 13 gardens open, we also offered refreshments at a Ruscombe Chapel and 2 other gardens. 

The event was a great success, with more than 300 visitors, and raising £1075 for charity. 

Visitors loved the gardens and they were impressed with how gardeners had overcome the many challenges of gardening in our hillside locations.

Stroud in Bloom Window Competition

In July I entered the Stroud in Bloom window competition for Assured Mobility where I work.

The theme this year was "edible gardens" and my display included lots of edible plants like tomatoes, beans and some lovely lettuce plants. They were planted in all sorts of recycled containers. 

I was so pleased to achieve a gold medal when the window was later judged.