From gigantic leaves to blurry bees...

Another rainy day... another chance to take stock of what we've been up to.

Well, the garden party for my little one's baby naming and 1st birthday went ahead. It was beautifully sunny for most of the afternoon, and I think everyone enjoyed themselves, including baby. The kids enjoyed looking for bee-friendly flowers, and wearing their bee deely boppers. The garden, weeds and all, looked 'lived in', and I enjoyed showing my veggie lawn to interested guests.

The evening light was perfect for the party

I'm always reluctant to start harvesting veg because it looks so nice, and I deliberately didn't pick anything before the party. I'm now paying the price - the pak choi is HUGE and the spinach has already started to bolt. But, we are enjoying fresh leaves every night, including salads sprinkled with chives and chive flowers, which taste as good as they look.

Chive flowers are edible too and taste AMAZING

The slugs have been busy to, they started to chomp away at my lupin flowers, so I tested the 'organic' slug killer, ferric phosphate, which is supposed to be harmless to children, pets and other wildlife. It's worked, the lupins are coming out in force, and I have now used it round my young pumpkins and courgettes.

I'm uncomfortable killing slugs in the first place, but I don't think I have a choice if I want to have a productive garden. I'm also worried about the wider effects of the pellets, but the RHS and BBC seem to think it's OK. Here's a quote from the BBC Gardening guide:

Ferric phosphate seems to be working. Sorry slugs.

"Slugs top the list of problem pests for gardeners who ask the RHS for help and advice. But, says Chief Advisor, Guy Barter, there are now workable options to using metaldehyde-based pellets (which can poison dogs, cats and wildlife if eaten in large quantities). For example ferric phosphate pellets, which are harmless to creatures other than slugs, and a range of barriers and traps."

Talking of wildlife, I've loved using my Friends of the Earth bee ID chart. I've defintely seen Great Yellow Bees and Red Tailed Bees. Taking their picture has been impossible, however, and I've now given up chasing them round with my camera. This is one of the less blurry photos!

A brilliant photo, if only it were in focus