Spears of delight

I love Asparagus.  I had always wanted to grow it and so we planted it here at Ordnance House in late 2011 in a raised bed atop of our chalky, free draining soil exposed to full sun.  It has thrived.  I confess that the crowns we planted looked alien and strange.  I planted each on a ridge I prepared in rich soil spreading its tenticles very carefully before covering them up, hoping for the best.  In 2012 we let it establish, havesting none.  In 2013 a tiny crop was taken early in the season.  In 2014, we had an abundant harvest.  So much so I was giving it away in large bunches.

There is a thrill to see the first spears appear in April and we then harvest it until June.  It requires very little work.  Once we arrive at the end of June, we let it go to seed before cutting it all down once its frothy fine leaves yellow in Autumn.  Then we simply give it a really thick rich mulch and leave it to face Winter under its warm and protective duvet.

I am told it is a long lived crop and harvests can be taken over many years.  I do hope so and will look forward to enyoying it this year, next year and far beyond.  

If you have room and the conditions to grow it (free draining and sunny would be my rule of thumb) then do so.  It is a rich, abundent and rewarding harvest.  It is also, of course, delicious too!

Christmas rescheduled

In just a few short weeks time my personal Christmas Day will arrive.  Forget the dark, damp, miserable twilight half days of mid-Winter and December 25th.  My gifts arrive in the full, fresh glory of May and provide me with enormous joy and wellbeing for the weeks which run into June.  My sparkling presents are Alliums.

I have long adored Alliums and planted many thousands of bulbs over the years wherever we have lived.  I plant them in meandering, winding drifts of purple and white.  I entwine them around and around beds and borders.  I dot them here and there.  Set them aganist a background of Spring's fresh vibrant green and you have, to my mind, a truely perfect combination.

There is a feature on our garden which has just appeared in Country Homes & Interiors (May 2015) which shows the abundance of Allium planting.  These pictures, taken in late May 2013, show how quickly Alliums establish and thrive.  So, if you have never planted Alliums before, then do so.  Come this Autumn, plant as many as you possibly can and enjoy the visual feast of colour and vibrancy in your own garden next Spring and for many Springs to come.