I haven't sown or planted any flowers at the allotment this year but most things tend to seed themselves around nicely. Sometimes they're not in a very helpful place but that's fine, I can just pull them out!
Aside from all the fruit and veggies on the plot, I've mainly sown or planted things in the past that're good for wildlife, and look pretty too. Of course the fruit and veggies quite often have lovely flowers too, an added bonus.
All photos here are by Jan, who last week managed to walk to the allotment with me (she's still recovering from a thyroid problem) and after a long rest, took a little wander round the plot.
First of all, some of the flowery flowers
Love in a mist / nigella
Such a nice flower, great for insects. They produce so many seeds in a rattly seed-head (once it's dried out) which you can see the fronds of just starting to appear in the middle of the flower head.
Sage flowers. When we first got the plot in 2007 there was a big collapsed old sage plant in a not very helpful place. So we took a gamble and split it up (breaking apart the old main stem) and literally just stuck each bit in the ground, along one of the boundaries. They somehow survived! You'll notice I say 'we' more here, that's because when we first got the plot Jan used to help more but in recent years for various reasons hasn't been able, so it's been a more or less one woman show for the moment. She takes a good piccie though, eh.
Calendula - I think this particular plant came through the winter and flowered again. Not sure on that though. Elsewhere on the plot there's loads of seedlings coming up, so more lovely flowers later. These ones pictured are starting to 'go over'. Still very vibrant though and it's been in flower for ages.
And now some flowery fruit and veg:
Parsnip! I left a few 'snips in the ground that I thought looked like they were a bit small for harvesting, so that they would run to flower and seed (they're biennial so flower in the second year of growth). You can't tell from the pic but This 'snip flower is really tall.
Broad beans, from my spring sowing
Summer raspberries, with the fruit just starting to form, always an exciting time. I love it when the fruit or beans etc start appearing behind the flower. Clever Mother Nature.
Ah, couldn't miss out a strawberry
And a potato too! A lot of non-growers don't realise humble potatoes have flowers, and rather nice ones at that.
And finally.....something completely different! A handsome toad that's living on the plot. It has a frog-friend too and sometimes they hang out together under a bit of black plastic round my hugel bed. I was actually removing all the plastic one time, when I found him (or her) snuggled in this dip,- I was crouched down pulling back the plastic when I came face to face with them! So this bit of plastic has stayed in place but I do pull it back occasionally for a peep to see who's there (but not for too long, so they don't get distressed).
Get munching on those slugs toady!
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