I have some plants that looks like raspberries to me. They are very cane like and the leaves look like raspberry leaves. However, some are completely thornless and others have just a few tiny little thorns. I don't want to get my hopes up that they are an amazing thornless raspberries if they are actually some boring ugly ornamental!

I will try to post some pictures next time I can connect my phone to WiFi.

Meet Half pint the highland cow. Another one of my creations. First time I’ve ever followed a pattern rather than copying a YouTube video. So I’m quite pleased with the out come. 

Half pint is going to be visiting lots of places.

Her first visit was to the local cafe & loch at the end of the road.

   

   

Then went to have a look at the view from one of the bridges in the village.

   

Half pint will be back soon with some more of her adventures 

Unashamedly borrowed from a Gardener's World article :-

How to make your own peat-free compost
It’s also easy to make your own peat-free potting mix, using a mix of different ingredients, including well-rotted leaf mould, garden compost, vermiculite and garden soil. Monty Don recommends a mix of three parts coir, one part sieved garden compost, one part sieved loam and one part sharp sand, perlite or horticultural grit. Find out more about the some of the ingredients used to make peat-free composts, below:
Leaf mould – An excellent soil conditioner and easy to make yourself. If you have lots of leaves, try making a leaf mould bin to process large amounts, or on a smaller scale you can use plastic sacks.
Home-made garden compost –  Every garden should be able to produce this and the key is balancing green, leafy nitrogen-rich material with carbon-rich brown material, like woody stems and cardboard. 
Loam – Essentially garden soil, you can buy good quality loam (or topsoil) from the garden centre. Alternatively you can use old sections of turf, which you stack up, grass side down, and cover with tarpaulin. After around a year it will have broken down into good, loamy soil, which you can use in potting mixes.
Coir – A waste product from coconut plantations in tropical countries like India and Sri Lanka, you’ll often come across it in compressed blocks that expand when watered. It’s absorbent and an excellent open growing medium for sowing seeds and growing plants.

Afternoon folks,

Fishing for peoples views on growing these, Mrs B likes them so I suppose I should make an effort

How easy is it to grow clematis from seed ? 
They are one of the items I currently have in my shopping basket. But I don’t want to get them if they’re a nightmare to germinate. I’m definitely getting everything else in my basket   .

This look interesting - basically putting chopped chard in garlic bread before cooking it.

https://www.bhg.com/recipe/breads/garlic...ith-chard/
The man who cooks at the local community allotment says he's going to try it with wild garlic.

Ever heard of Tepary beans?
Spotted them on Real Seeds https://www.realseeds.co.uk/otherbeans.html

 Found some info at https://www.nativeseeds.org/collections/...epary-bean 
I have so many beans that I want to grow this year that I'm not sure I'd have room for these. Interesting though.

Afternoon folks

Do people succession sow or bung them all in at once?

If it helps the variety is early nantes 2.

TIA

Do you see something that reminds you of summat else and then can't get the resemblance out of your mind?
Or mis-hear the words of a song or a name and every time you hear it again you remember the wrong words.
For example. there's a pattern embossed on the glass of the shower screen. Most people would think it was just an ornate scroll - to me its Olive Oyl in the Popeye cartoon. You know the one, skinny face, hair in bun.
There's a song by the Beach Boys  called Barbara Ann.......Bar, bar, bar, Barbara Ann..............I hear "Bob,bob,bob, Bobbob around"

Please tell me I'm not the only one who's confused.

Yesterday I visited Jekkas Herbs on one of her open days. £5 to get in - you have to book online.
One of the best days out I've had in a long time.

We got there for 9.15 ready for opening at 9.30. Walked around and looked at the tunnels/glass houses and raised herb beds. Jekka herself was walking about chatting to everyone and giving info on which ones to choose. She was very helpful in my search for some mint varieties

There was a bee talk held by a lady named Jean Vernon, she had a great knowledge and a love of bees and was an absolute joy to listen too. She could write children's novels! I'm not really into big lectures but  she caught a few bees, while she walked around the plants giving her talk. She gave the tale of the bee life, a few garden bees and interesting facts - which flowers were most beneficial for food this early in the year etc ... did you know hellebores held more nectar than most other flowers at this time of year? She really told a tale. She has a book out, unfortunately I couldn't afford it yesterday but maybe will get it for my birthday.

Then at 11, Jekka gave a talk. Also very casual and she is a fabulous person to listen to - extremely knowledgeable and very approachable whi just wants to talk plants!

The plants were well organised, fabulous quality. A bit pricier than your bog standard herb selections but I think that was to be expected.
She is planning to do a planting scheme to showcase more varieties on the farm and is looking for volunteers - if I was a little younger maybe

I think we left around 12.30. Armed with a few purchases, there was an interesting seed collection. Books, tools and other garden related items in the shop. Her herb book is very good. Looking forward to reading that. Coffee and cake also available.
Well worth a visit.