I am working on a new book and hence all my writing effort has gone into that and there just hasn’t been sufficient spare time to keep this blog up to date. Nor has there been much time to spend in the garden, but as my main maxim for interacting with the garden is (as above) ‘don’t do anything until you have to and then only do the minumum’ it has not mattered! In fact it is an good demonstration of the ability of a forest garden to just get on with being what it is and I dip in and out as I am able or as there is need.
However one thing I did before it was too late was to plant more fruit trees at the end of the winter. It was a cold and frosty cum snowy day when Pat and I planted a medlar, two apples (Newton’s Wonder and Cox), two gages (Cambridge and Dennistons), two plums (Marjorie’s seedling and here in the picture the veritable Victoria plum). I cut them back hard to keep them tiny.
Since that wintry day we have had lots of super hot weather – much more than usual for Wales and also a notable lack of rain. Nevertheless the garden has grown wonderfully well with plenty of flowers and fruits. On the downside there have been fewer flowers than in previous years and some aphid infestations that I have never had before, both of which I am putting down the the drought.
Polycultures July 2018
This ‘triangle bed’ near the entrance to the house is intended to be flowery and colourful and it has been lovely all year.
flowery ‘triangle bed’
One of my original hopes for growing a forest garden was that there would be more harvesting than working and this summer that has proved to be the case. I think the warm weather definitely helped the garlic do well and it was all ready by July this year. And this was the year when the fruit bushes and trees that have been here for some years began to get into production. Accordingly there has been a good harvest of soft fruit, tree fruit and also the ever reliable greens.
garlic harvest July 2018
chokeberry (aronia)
raspberry canes
redcurrants
Taunton Deane kale
Principle: When you have to do something, only do the minimum.
gardens of delight 
you do not have to care,sorry i was too honest about my expression on taunton kale.i know what you feel,i have been growing kale for 20 years,and growing couve galega for 10 years,which is really like taunton kale except being smaller than taunton kale.i am going to do the same thing as you have done in usa.
i will be a very old man when i accomplished my dream. good luck!
LikeLiked by 1 person
hi! anni,where are you?you live in usa? how come you have a taunton deane kale? i have i too.
LikeLike
Hi Kenji, I live in Wales in the UK, right on the border with England. I understood Taunton Deane kale to be from the south west of England which is where I got mine from.
LikeLike
Hi Anni, I think you are one of the reasons I started blogging, so I have nominated you for a sunshine blogger award. Hope the new book goes well
LikeLike
Pingback: don’t do anything until you have to and then only do the minimum — Anni’s perennial veggies | iSustainability Project
Are chockberries trendy there too? With all the other berries that you ‘can’ grow, that seems like an odd one.
LikeLike
Hi Tony, yes they are quite trendy! I love the colours at this time of year and the birds love the berries!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Birds!? Oh, I would not want to share. I started growing them before they became trendy. Although I do not like trends, I would grow them again, just to see what the berries are good for.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great that the drought didn’t have a negative effect on your garden.
LikeLike