First sight of our field beans brings joy to a damp January day
Happiness is a damp day and a dry fork. Back on the plot a after two-week absence (though thought about 'her' a lot). Howard (and Sarah's father) has been sick so it was Scarlett and I getting stuck into the bindweed and bricks at the top of the bank. But the big news (to us, at least) is the belated arrival of the field beans. We had rather given up on them. Had thought they'd all been eaten by rats as revenge for being evicted from the bank. But no, here they are, emerald green and everywhere, pulsing with life.
Lovely Mary's autumn raspberries waiting to be transplanted onto our plot
The other good news of the day is that our old neighbour Mary has given some raspberry shoots. Our plan is to introduce raspberries and hazel with some fruit trees. We have inherited a nobbly old apple tree (kind of covered in witch's warts), which we will prune and transplant on the bank with a new apple (see below) and perhaps a plum or a pear. Again any suggestions as to varieties that might do well in London soil will be very gratefully accepted. Though has to be said the endemic crimson nettle root has done wonderful work in bringing some crumb to the clay.
