Back From Vacation

Hello from sunny West-Friesland. The weather has been superb here for the past couple of weeks and I have taken full advantage of it. I have taken vacation to get the lottie into shape for the coming planting-out period in about six weeks.

I will talk about a few of the things that I did in the gardens during the vacation (there was too much to mention it all).

Well, one thing that I did was to harvest some of the leaves of the plant in the garden that we all daslook (Allium ursinum). I have it growing over under the buddleja and laurel in the shade. I started with just a few plants gathered from the wood and now have a nice little group. I do hope that they will spread and flourish.


The thing is that when harvesting the leaves, one should only clip off ½ - ¾ of a leaf, and this way the leaf will continue to grow and not stress the bulb too much. Usually the daslook has only two leaves and a bloom stem or three. I also harvested some chives (bieslook) and took them home afterwards and made some delightful Spaghetti con aglio e olio.


You just wash then cut the two sets of leaves and toss them into olive oil to make a sort of infusion. Once the spaghetti has been boiled and drained then you add it to the aglio e olio and stir it...letting it cook for a couple of minutes then serve...Whhoah --that is quite a flavour!
The finished product:


The gardens (old and new) were leaned and made ready for planting. Some of the plots are still covered to keep the ground loose and protected from drying-out by the sun.


The flower garden got some more attention, but was purposely left to let the Forget-Me-Nots finish blooming. The honey bees really do come in their hundreds to the tiny little flowers.

One of the little jobs was to build a rack (arbour) for a newly purchased Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis 'Profific'). I also have a new evergreen clematis (Clematis cartmanii 'Avalanche') in there as well.
I have a hunch that this clematis may not make it through the coming winter. It is already blooming and I could imagine that it would look quite nice were it to survive.


You an tell that it isn't made by a pro can't you? hahaha. Well, the thing about lotties is that construtions are traditionally made from bits and bobs and are not supposed to look as nice and neat and coordinated as something that one would build at home in their own garden.

The main garden path has been tidied-up too. The rest can not be cleaned this way yet because of the Forget-Me-Nots. I am now wondering what I will plant to line these paths with this year.


The planting at home continued when there was a day when the sun did not shine and it even rained a bit. That day came right on cue. Here is just one group of germinated seedlings. That rascal Roos, had snuck in there and I caught her on the foto. I had not seen her right away. The cats are not really allowed near seedlings as they have the inconsiderate habit of chewing off the new growth. Tch!

I planted so many seeds and transplanted even more to the next sized pot. its going to be a glut--but one must always plant more than they need to insure that they have the correct number of plants. There is always someone that will take this plant or that that I have in excess.


Of course, no vacation would be complete without a trip to the harbour. There had been a new bust of a skipper called Bontekoe placed on the pier-like board walk out in front of the old harbour tower.


Another extracurricular activity this vacation was a 'do' down town in the old West-Friese Museum.:
It was part of a tourist package that an organization thought-up to offer and attract tourists to our city.
It is a thing where tourists come to Holland on a boat and small groups of eight sit and are able to have a typical Dutch meal and have a local sitting at their table. The tourists an then ask questions about Holland, our city or customs...whatever they like (except for two topics--religion and politics). I was one of the hosts and thoroughly enjoyed it. The guests were elderly and in spite of their fully packed itinerary, they were alert, friendly and had plenty of questions.

Well, not a lot of news this time-- just planting and cleaning...and lonnnng hours at the allotments.

Now to end this posting with a foto of the very first strawberry bloom. It is the only one at the moment and looks a bit lonely and inseure. It may well not make it, beause there will probably be a few frosts between now and ripening, but it gives one confidence.

 

Your gardens look lovely all cleaned up Sjoerd! Your seedlings are looking good too so I hope the kitties will keep away from them this year. You've just reminded me that I need to start some more seeds. I think you forgot to add the strawberry bloom...

 

Thanks Netty--you were absolutely right. I did forget to add the strawb foto.
Thanks for reminding me.

You'd better get craking on those seeds of yours...you want to be ready when Mother Nature is don'tcha. haha

 

Looking in tip top shape there Sjoerd!

 

seedlings are looking good.

and glad to see i'm not the only one with inquisitive cats.

 

Good lottie pix Sjoerd. It helps to see other peoples garden progress and layout.

While we have used garlic and oil on spaghetti, we have never tried the leaves. Something to try when the leaves are out.

Interesting tourist experience, do you do it often?

Jerry

 

oh sjoerd, the lottie looks wonderful! and so do your seedlings!

i enjoyed the harbor pics too. i love those round buildings!

so the Allium ursinum is actually wild garlic? great idea using the leaves!

 

Your spaghetti looks real good and is making me hungry!! It is so nice to see your lottie all greening up. I look with envy at your strawberry flower, I am still waiting for me tyo show sign that it will flower ... sigh!!

 

Thanks CHERYL.

Thank you, DAN--Inquisitive cats. heh heh.

I appreciate your nice comments, JERRY-- If you doi try it, be sure that they are the "wild garlic's" leaes. I do not know if the regular type of garlic leaves would be any good.
I have only done the tourist thing once, but will do it more often if it continues to be fun.

Thanks a mil, BUNKIE--That round building is the harbour tower. Yes, that is called "wild garlic" in english, I was told.

Thank you KK--Ah, yours will flower in time. I feel confident of that.

 

Only a gardener would consider spending their time off working in the garden a "holiday". I have a lot of friends who just don't understand the pleasure we derive from working in our gardens.

Looks like you were a busy bee getting your lottie in shape and planted. Glad you tooks some time off to sightsee and share with us.

I planted several varieties of garlic this fall, from what I've read you harvest it in summer, does that sound right to you? I have never planted garlic before. My friend who gave the cloves to me said I could clip some of the leaves to saute. I snipped a piece off and tasted it and it was garlicy. I will have to give it a try.

 

Hee hee hee---too right, Gail!There are many types of garlic, Gail...so look carefully at your seed packs to see which you planted. Some can be harested in the summer and some in the winter or fall.
I hope they work for you. I hope you enjoy cooking with the foliage.

 

Motivating me to get out into the garden. Wonderful!

 

Thanks so much, EILEEN--You say the nicest things.
We may be ahead of you weather-wise...but now that you've got some seeds in the ground, you will be catching up real soon, I 'spekt.

Thanks JEWELL-- Good luck out in your garden!
I can't wait to see sopme of your pics.

 

Looking good Sjoerd, looking good. Glad to see you have hundreds of tomato plants growing on your windowsil just like me. THe flower garden looks very neat, and like you, I am waiting for the forget me nots to finish flowering and set a few seeds before oiking them up. Things realy grow fast at this time of year don't they. I told Mark about you taking a vacation from work and spending it on the allotment. I think it is a perfect holiday, he wasn't so keen.