It’s a small world…

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My tiny

Our book of the week is My Tiny Veg Plot by Lia Leendertz (Pavillion) and was obtained from the shelves of Holborn Library. Earlier this week I was flicking through their “what’s new” section when I found this one alongside Dave Haslam’s (author of Debris fanzine) Life after Dark.

Lia’s book is well different from the usual gardening books as there’s no month by month “what to do” guide or “vegetables by alphabetical order” but features some well interesting plot ideas.

It includes amongst other things, a balcony in Bristol, a veg plot on the back of a pick-up truck (a bonkers but good idea!) in the states, a keyhole garden (a mad version of a raised bed) in Lesotho, a rooftop plot in Hong Kong, mobile herbs in the author’s camper van and our gardening friend Penny Golightly‘s London budget backyard too. A book well worth having a look at!

The good, the bad and the flexi

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bones xmassThrough the post today came the excellent x-raymass flexi-disc from The Real Tuesday Weld featuring Marcella Puppini with Those were the days. It’s a lovely flexicard featuring on the playable side, an image of one of those Soviet bone bootlegs (more on those fantastic records here.)

If you want one of the x-raymass flexi’s, they are only a fiver plus postage and are available here.

Now the ugly…wogan

This flexi’s been in my possession since coming through my mum’s letterbox around 1973. As it says on Discogs “Rare promotional flexi featuring the voice of Terry Wogan (the mystery voice concerned here.) This competition ran through to 31st January 1974 for various Lever Brothers consumer products.”

Obviously not a collector’s item as no one has it for sale or wants one on Discogs and I can only wonder what the fantastic prizes were, a family pack of Vim perhaps? Ah, those were the days (my friend.)

Cyprus calling, Cyprus calling…

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A big cheers to Haji Mike out of the lovely island of Cyprus for getting in touch and for sending us a pic of his Lemon Verbena bush. He writes “It’s in a shady place so the sun doesn’t get to it much in the summer and in the winter it gets some protection from the cold winds off the mountains” but looking at it now it’s looking great! Mike also mentioned a lot of people locally call it Mexican Oregano. Has anyone heard it called that before?

Anyway it’s a great smelling shrub and makes a refreshing tea, what more do you want out of a plant, get yourself a pot of it! Thanks again for the tip Mike.

Haji Mike's Lemon verbena

Let there be fleece on earth

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Last weekend I treated myself to a big old roll of horticultural fleece from Shannon’s for a fiver. All I need now is to find some plants to use it on!

It offers great protection from frosts (even though net curtains and large sheets of newspaper are alright too) as it works like a cloche around the plant creating a microclimate and at the same time allows air, moisture and light in.

I started the “big wrap up” on Sunday when I spent half an hour in the garden “tipping around with a hoe”, as they used to say at Westminster Council. I’m sure over the next few weeks they’ll be more plants covered in said fabric, I mean I’ll have to use it as I have tons of the stuff left!

I like the effect as it makes the garden look a bit mysterious (and possibly make the neighbours doubt your sanity) but you’ll be the one laughing when your tender perennials that you’re too lazy to bring indoors survive the winter.

Geraniums under fleeceI shouldn’t worry as I know come late spring I’ll have a handful of leggy Tomato plants to go out before the risk of frost is passed. The fleece will then be pulled out from under the stairs to do it’s job.Safe and warm_Lemon VerbenaAnother thing put to good use is the terrarium/upside down fish-tank I found in the street a few years ago. It’s now covering up the Lemon Verbena I bought after Haji Mike from Cyprus sung it’s praises on his Facebook page. It’s a great smelling plant and makes a good old herbal cupa too. Big up the fleece!

Lock up your tubers

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lock up your tubersLast weekend featured the fastest session of gardening in weeds up to me knees history! It was a quick pop out to the garden to stick something in the compost bin, feed those starving goldfish and to lift up a couple of Dahlia plants so they can be safely stored for the winter. My my my daliahThe frost earlier on this month had blackened the tops so I dug them up and cut off the stalks. It was then a case of cleaning off the excess soil, letting them dry naturally upside down and then sticking them in a cool place out of frost, light and heat which was under the stairs in a paper bag. I’ll keep a check on them over the winter just in case there’s any rotting going on. Graham Porter on Radio Leeds mentioned they can be stored in a tray of dry compost or the like as well.Adam and eveI’ve heard advice to the contrary but I do remember reading that Adam the Gardener (not a real bloke just a drawing in a book, above) starting them off in the spring and separating the tubers when new shoots appear thus producing a few new plants, how good is that?

Also James Wong mentioned that the Dahlia was originally brought to Europe from Mexico as an alternative to the humble Potato. Dahlia Dauphinoise anyone? Dahlia Chips with Cod and that pickled egg? Er, no thanks.

Pre-solstice shouty vibes

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ded yampy 2

Big shout to Tim and Stand up and spit for posting up the second issue of my old fanzine Ded Yampy from many moons ago here. Respect is due Tim!

If you love “Ranting poetry, sweary poetry, boozy poetry” Stand up and Spit is for you!

Cheers to my good mate Pete R too for originally spotting it!

More old time fanzine business here. Cheers Joly!

The temperature a fall

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Blue King Brown featuring The Congo’s – Babylon a Fall

Thanks to our good mate from across the pond Doctor Strangedub (and DJ Baby Swiss) for playing this one on this week’s The Echo Chamber on KFAI (a show well worth listening to live or on play again, and on a great radio station which has all sorts of music shows represented on it.)

This is a lovely roots tune featuring the talents of Melbourne’s Blue King Brown with The mighty Congo‘s, it’s one with a wide range of vocals and is a grower. Give it time, give it time…

Fast and (free) bulbous

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A big thanks to our good gardening friend Lewisham Gardens for letting us know about the offer of free spring bulbs (delivered free as well!) to communities in London by The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association and Taylors Bulbs of Holbeach.

It’s first come, first served and they’d probably appreciate a picture of the bulbs in their flowering glory in the spring which is no big deal.

So if you’re part of a community gardening group, a street or school, fill in the application from (available here) and keep those fingers crossed. Big up free bulbs!

Three for the new year

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talksI know it’s a bit previous, but as part of the Free lectures at Gresham College next year there’s some interesting ones in the Mondays at One – Garden and Gardeners series.

There’s Wildlife Gardening on March 7th 2016, Chelsea Physic Garden through the Ages on March 14th and Gardening Entrepreneurs on 21st March. 

They all start at 1pm at Barnard’s Inn Hall and run on a “first come, first served” basis and doors open half an hour before the event to get that seat near the front (and avoid the one in front of the pillar.) Stick these in your diary if you love a talk!