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A winter’s kale

July 23, 2009
by F&F
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One of our Kale ‘Nero di toscana’ plants is enormous. So enormous, in fact, that it is growing across the tiny path running through our vegetable patch, and I have had to harvest a number of the strap-like, green-black leaves. This is obviously a ter
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WIN a gorgeous jam-making kit and 10% off at Wiggly Wigglers for every Fennel & Fern reader

July 22, 2009
by F&F
1 Comment
It’s that time of year again. When your fruit bushes are so overflowing with produce you scarcely know what to do. And when your kitchen worktops are covered in gleaming jars, ready to be filled with damsons and gooseberries. It’s jam-making time.
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Garden soldiers

July 21, 2009
by F&F
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Not everything in the garden is happy with this rain. I’m sure we have had more than our fair share of Smith Periods (the humid conditions which bring dreaded tomato and potato blight), and the aubergine was looking so grumpy I brought it inside. But
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Kitsch cake

July 20, 2009
by F&F
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When I’m not digging, I love baking. Just love it. I don’t think there is a more lovely way of showing a visitor how pleased you are to see them than by baking a nice big cake. And when special visitors come, I bake them a nice big Kitsch Cake. The m
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{Green Lane Allotments} July #2

July 17, 2009
by F&F
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This week has been a real disappointment for July. Visits to the plot have more or less been to harvest in between showers. Heavy rain has pounded the soil, and once the sun has dried the clay surface, it can crack and become hard and lumpy. However,
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Bristol onions

July 16, 2009
by F&F
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These Bristol onions, Allium sphaerocephalon, have been threatening to flower for weeks. When they unwrap themselves, the flower buds are still resolutely green. And they remain so for a while until slowly a gentle blush appears at the tip. For a few
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If I knew then what I know now…

July 15, 2009
by F&F
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Guest blogger Ali bagged her allotment two years ago. She shares her tips for novice allotmenteers here. Don’t despair Once you have acquired your coveted plot, don’t despair if it is a jungle of weeds of every shape and form. My current plot was thi
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Cornflowers

July 14, 2009
by F&F
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I’m so glad I grew cornflowers this year. Especially the ‘Black Ball’ cornflowers, which are port-dark and ever-so chic. I’ve grown them in thick drifts in different parts of the border, which increases their visual impact. They are such perfect plan
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Balcony gardening

July 13, 2009
by F&F
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When we started househunting last April, I never imagined we were going to have a garden. I envisaged growing a few lettuces in a window box, and maybe even some herbs on the kitchen windowsill. So when we found a house with a large fire escape and s
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Digitalis x mertonensis

July 11, 2009
by F&F
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How can you resist a plant whose flowers are the colour of a crushed strawberry? I bought two Digitalis x mertonensis plants this year, and I’m hooked. They have softer gloves, and they are such a lovely vintage colour. The petals have a faint checke
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Buddleia x weyeriana ‘Sungold’

July 10, 2009
by F&F
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One of the things I really adore about Buddleia x weyeriana is that the globose blooms look like scoops of thick, rich cornish ice cream. You can’t actually eat these flowers, but they really are irresistible, especially for bees.
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Mummy’s tummy

July 9, 2009
by F&F
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Squash flowers are truly beautiful. If I didn’t enjoy eating pumpkins and courgettes so much, I’d probably just grow these plants for their huge cheese-coloured flowers. This is a female flower on my ‘Delica’ pumpkin. How do I know it is a female flo
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