Garden And Gossip Forums

Write a book about it/or make a film! There's a lots of people out there who would want to follow your dream.

This week I made a proper edge to one of my flower beds - it is on a slope so the earth & mulch slides off onto a path.
Buying some proper solid edging was never going to happen, so originally I tried ignoring the problem, just pushing the compost back on, then I put in some thin wooden boards scabbed from a delivery. They lasted about 18 months.
Then in December our neighbour had his roof re-tiled and they also took down the unused chimney stack so we begged the bricks for edging this border.

[attachment=2117]
[attachment=2118]

And I was delighted to find they had a maker's stamp; they are local and from quite an illustrious brickworks, sadly no longer functioning. But at least we get to keep a bit of heritage, rather than it disappearing into hardcore!
[attachment=2119]

Interestingly, most of the houses around here are too poor to have been built from the bricks, but from the boulders that come out of the clay used to make the bricks!

Looks great, PP.
I think Vinny did something similar with panties......I mean pantiles.

Whatever week it is. Eat bulb fennel.

I've not tried bulb fennel before, mistakenly thinking, that as I'm not fond of aniseed balls, I wouldn't like anything aniseed flavoured. Having used fennel seeds in a ragout and thoroughly enjoyed it, I thought I should widen my horizons and try bulb fennel, especially before trying to grow it.
So I bought a couple of bulbs and am now trying to figure out what to do with them. Don't fancy salad, may go with a gratin or risotto.

Very thinly sliced raw fennel bulb with segments of orange makes a really lovely refreshing salad - we like it as a starter before a heavy main. I know you said you didn't fancy salad, but thought you may not have thought of the fennel/orange combo
Braised is good too!

My challenge this week was a first go at making cinnamon buns. I went for a quick baking powder dough rather than a yeast one, but might try yeast next time as it wasn't quite doughy enough. MrPP said the smell reminded him of a road trip in America where we stayed in cheap motels that had unlimited free cinnamon buns or doughnuts and coffee in the lobby! Some days that was all we ate 

(07-02-2021, 04:34 PM)PyreneesPlot Wrote: [ -> ]Very thinly sliced raw fennel bulb with segments of orange makes a really lovely refreshing salad - we like it as a starter before a heavy main. I know you said you din't fancy salad, but thought you may not have thought of the fennel/orange combo
Braised is good too!

My challenge this week was a fist go at making cinnamon buns. I went for a quick baking powder dough rather than a yeast one, but might try yeast next time as it wasn't quite doughy enough. MrPP said the smell reminded him of a road trip in America where we stayed in cheap motels that had unlimited free cinnamon buns or doughnuts and coffee in the lobby! Some days that was all we ate 

Thanks PP, I have some rather mothery oranges that need eating up, might try the combo.
I can smell your cinnamon buns from here, lovely.  Those are the sort of bakes I avoid, like lardy cake, and monkey bread,  they play havoc with the waistline, and who can resist warm buns of any sort, not me.

(07-02-2021, 04:34 PM)PyreneesPlot Wrote: [ -> ]Very thinly sliced raw fennel bulb with segments of orange makes a really lovely refreshing salad - we like it as a starter before a heavy main. I know you said you didn't fancy salad, but thought you may not have thought of the fennel/orange combo
Braised is good too!

I've tried your orange/fennel combo PP, delicious, I'm a convert.

(07-02-2021, 06:47 PM)JJB Wrote: [ -> ]

(07-02-2021, 04:34 PM)PyreneesPlot Wrote: [ -> ]Very thinly sliced raw fennel bulb with segments of orange makes a really lovely refreshing salad - we like it as a starter before a heavy main. I know you said you didn't fancy salad, but thought you may not have thought of the fennel/orange combo
Braised is good too!

I've tried your orange/fennel combo PP, delicious, I'm a convert.

Glad you like it

I like sliced fennel with lamb

Now I have to figure out how to grow it successfully.... some hope