Post Comment Love 7-9 May

Welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo - a friendly linky which I co-host with Suzanne, where you can link any post published in the last week. We know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked and share some of that love. If you were here last week it was great to have you along, if you’re new here this week we’re pleased you’re here.

This week, apart from wading through plenty of emails (thanks week off!), I’m mostly feeling grateful. Yesterday I received my second Covid jab and I’m pleased that it’s the one thing that the government have got right during the pandemic. This time we were in and out way quicker than our first visit, and even better we could walk there without a coat. That was in sharp contrast to the night before which saw torrential rain, but the most glorious light afterwards. I was out, but thankfully managed to stay mostly dry!

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Looking back at my garden in August

Today let’s head back to last August and take a look at what was going on in my garden. Even though it’s a few months ago, these photos have brought the memories straight back to the surface - funny how photos can do that isn’t it?

In the greenhouse I remember being so proud of my chillies, yes they’re small but boy were they fiery. In truth though we didn’t have a great veg-growing year, so every success was welcome. Our lack of success was I think due to the amount of shade in our garden - we need our trees cut for a better return. That’s not happened yet, so I’m considering my options for this year and plan to grow things that stand a good chance of producing a yield worth the effort required.

Our beans had nabbed one of the sunniest spots and did well, the broad beans which had been there before them less so.

My challenge for 2021 is to prevent MOH picking the borlotti beans when they look like this, the idea is to let them dry on the plant - wish me luck.

The weather was good though and so we took plenty of opportunities to be in the garden, for ice creams, cocktails and meals outside.

But there was also work to do. In the rear corner the jasmine had taken over and so we spent an afternoon cutting it back. I know it will grow again, and probably be better for a good trim. While doing this we discovered the vine which had come over the fence from next doo - it’s the thick stem that’s growing horizontally. And yes, it’s clearly been there for a while.

Not only was the stem thick, but it had fruited - and we had many bunches of grapes in our cherry tree, which the vine was using as its framework. This is the cherry tree that we had a bumper harvest of cherries from too, so they looked as if they were happy to share the space. We weren’t quite so happy, and cut out what we could, though we couldn’t get all of the vine out of the cherry tree - when we have that pruned, it’ll come out and we’ll be keeping an eye on preventing that happening again.

MOH tried a few of the grapes, which were sweet enough - I tried one, and it was ok, but there were almost as many pips as grapes so for a negligible return I was happy to pass.

Back closer to the patio a garden lights plan was being hatched. I’ve struggled with lights as if they go along the sides of the garden, to me, it makes it look more like a runway. I’m not sure how it took me so long to come up with the idea of stringing them across the garden, but it did. This string of solar lights were there as a trial, and were just about high enough for us to walk under.

The trial was a success and we bought several strings of lights, which typically arrived just as the weather turned. If our plans work out, by the time this post is live, they’ll be up and sparkling just when we want them to be. I’ll let you know.

The warmer evenings meant we spent a fair amount of time after working at home in our garden, with both the barbecue and candles being key features. And the odd bottle of wine too.

The evening light was good and the agapanthus continued to flower, and enjoy the evening sun.

We definitely enjoyed the evening sun, and the morning sun too with breakfasts in the garden as well as dinners - now that’s a real treat.

Let’s hope for the same this summer!

Views of where old meets new

I’ve recently shared some of the sculptures and green spaces from our wander around the City of London, and they already include some of my favourite spots and views, but today I have more to share. One of the things that continues to intrigue me is how the traditional buildings marry and sit happily alongside the more modern structures. And like anything, the more you look for it, the more you see.

Outside St Paul’s Cathedral there’s a series of these ‘heads’ on columns outside the modern facade of shops. I’m sure they keep an eye on everything that goes on, but I also suspect that many that walk past them don’t see them.

This ornate structure, adorned with bikes, is also opposite the cathedral. Its detail in contrast to the modern buildings which surround it. Over at Liverpool Street Station there’s a modern sculpture which sits alongside the traditional structure of the station building.

Walking further around the station we were able to get a look at more of the building work taking place, the platforms are underneath the canopied roof. Here the towering office blocks sit in the background dwarfing the usually busy train station.

Behind our vantage point was this cacophony of steelwork, which I’m sure with people up and down it brings rhythm, noise and life to where we stood.

As we headed into Leadenhall Market, again the office blocks and the cranes in the background on Bishopsgate. The shop fronts in the market look traditional, but look more closely and you’ll see one is Pizza Express.

But my favourite views of where old meets new is on Walbrook, where the Sir Christopher Wren St Stephen’s church sits proudly, next to Mansion House. On this visit we had time to head around behind the church and check out the view from the other side too.

It’s my absolute favourite view in the City, without doubt.