Well….what a day….another one!  I’ve been trying to defoliate the prunings from the espalier fruit trees for the last month or so, to tie into bundles ready to use as we plant the new season’s veg.  So at last, this afternoon, after every other task was complete, the job was finally tackled and finished! Pea-sticks of apple, peach, apricot, cherry and plum.  Woohoo….ready to go!! 

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the bittersweet Cape Gooseberries, as I tried to figure out the very best time to pick them….well, I think as long as the paper lantern enclosing the tiny golden orb has yellowed, the time is fine!  Our Kitchen Gardening participants gave them a taste test last weekend, and we have the fun of quite a lot to play with now.  While the habit of the plant itself is extremely messy, I find the way the fruit are encased in such fine filigree completely enchanting.

And so….it’s back to the desk jobs tomorrow!  Oh but it’s been a quite satisfactory weekend in the garden.  I’ll try to get back to another post very soon!