Our Polytunnel and Garden in May

Last month I took a snapshot from our G arden and Polytunnel in April and now I’m going to show you what it looks like in May.

I love this time of the year so much. All the growth and liveliness everywhere. Just look how much the lettuce and broad beans grew in four short weeks…

In the Polytunnel

Here is a closer picture of the broad beans. It’s the first time I’ve been growing these and they are very easy plants. In the background you can see how big the lettuces grew. I try to eat some every day but we still have way too much.

My four pea plants are growing and the pods are swelling with tasty sweet peas. My kids eat them whole off the plant and they leave some of them to get bigger, so they can shell the pea pods. The pea shoots are also yummy in a salad.

My beetroot is getting ready to be harvested. And here are a few more impressions of how our Polytunnel looks right now.

I planted five yellow cherry tomato plants into a bed but I never got any red cherry tomatoes. Then I discovered that some of the seeds from last years tomatoes had germinated in the Polytunnel, so I gave three tomato seedlings a pot. They should be red. Once they are big enough I will give them a spot in the tomato bed and we’ll see what happens.

Soon I will also plant out my cucumber and squash plants.

The Outside Garden

This is our overgrown pond, but it’s full of tadpoles, mini frogs (and big frogs hiding in spots that only the kids know), dragonfly larvae, newts and lots of other interesting creatures. We all love to sit here and observe what’s happening.

The Outside Garden is mostly full of weeds but there are a few other things growing too and I’m trying to weed a little bit every day to help these plants to establish. In the front there are snow peas climbing up the fence and in front of them there a lots of summer flowers which the boys planted for bees and butterflies.

Behind the fence are the last rhubarb leaves but they are coming to an end for this year. I’m glad we made good use of the rhubarb this year (like eating this Rhubarb Strawberry Breakfast Millet).

Then there is chard, leek, broccoli, broad beans and beetroot growing in some of the beds but the plants are still tiny.

I just planted out my two courgette plants next to black currant shrubs. Hopefully they will like it there.

Now let’s go to the Orchard…

In the Orchard

We planted this elderberry tree for our first son who is nearly 12 now. It’s full of blossoms and smells delicious. Well, I think it does. Some people don’t like the smell. But it reminds me of Elderflower Cordial or now my Elderflower and Lemon Drink with Strawberries that I made a few times for us.

Apple trees and Chicken Coop.

Our black, red, white currants and gooseberries are all starting to show fruit, the blueberries are blossoming and fruiting and the raspberries are climbing along the chicken fence. It all looks very promising. I hope the birds will leave us some berries this year.