October’s fine harvest

October 20, 2024October 20, 2024 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Scottish_garden_cooking_apple_harvest — Another bumper year from the old apple tree. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. Well, that’s just about everything edible in from the garden for another year. It was a fine bright day yesterday, perfect weather for apple and pear picking. What a bumper harvest this year: 35kg apples and 10kg pears – woo hoo!

Scottish_garden_pear_harvest — This year’s Concorde and Comice pear harvest. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I’m glad to report on the back of last month’s post, there have been runner beans to enjoy at last. I picked off the last of them yesterday and took the plants down. As I type, the weather has become very stormy and I am pretty sure that the beans wouldn’t have survived a pounding from gale force winds.

Late_harvested_runner_beans — Runner beans at last! Images: Kathryn Hawkins

In the greenhouse, some plants are shutting down like the French beans, cucumber and tomatoes. There are a few tomatoes left on the vines to ripen, but I was pleased with this basket full. The baby sweetcorn I planted (almost too) late is also about ready to pick.

Homegrown_Scottish_garden_runner_beans_and_cherry_tomatoes — Last of the runner beans. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Greenhouse_baby_sweetcorn — The sweetcorn fairies are coming. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Looking forward to next spring, the potted mimosa plant is doing well in the greenhouse and has set lots of flower buds. Now all I need to do is keep it from the harm of a potentially very cold Scottish winter.

Flower_buds_on_greenhouse_mimosa — A hint of spring. Mimosa flower buds. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Outside the garden is alive with beautiful colours of the Japanese maple and Autumn crocuses.

Autumnal_shades_of_Japanese_maple — Glorious Autumnal shades. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

October_2024_autumn_crocus_in_Scottish_sunshine — Sunny Autumn crocus. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

The deliciously scented pink rose is out flowering again. Such a heady aroma when you catch the scent in the air.

Late_flowering_rose_October_2024 — In the pink in October. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I’ll end my post with a nod to the next season. I’ve been working on Christmas projects for a few weeks already but in the garden the holly trees are bursting with berries this year. Some would say that this means we’re in for a cold winter, but I’d prefer to believe that it simply means that this year has given the trees just the right growing conditions to produce a huge amount of fruit. We’ll see…..fingers crossed I’m right.

Scottish_garden_holly_and_red_berries — Bursting with berries. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I’ll be back recipe posting in a few days, something suitably spooky for Hallowe’en. Until then, thanks for stopping by.

October: fruit, frosts and lots of rain

October 29, 2023 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 2 Comments

Scottish_garden_cooking_apple_harvest_October_2023 — This year’s cooking apple harvest. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello there. It’s been a very varied weather picture here in central Scotland this October. It was mild and kind at the beginning of the month, which presented perfect conditions for bringing in this year’s harvest of apples and pears. Compared to last year, the yield from the old apple tree and 2 small pear trees was small, but there was still enough to enjoy, and now the trees are having a well earned rest.

Scottish_garden_Comice_and_Concorde_pears — Homegrown pears. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Apple_tree_after_harvest — After the harvest. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

The morning following the fruit picking, the first frost of the season fell, and a few days later, there was another one. A subtle reminder that winter is not too far away.

Scottish_garden_frosty_morning_October_2023 — First October frost. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Frosty_grass_and_garden_foliage — Frosted Autumn plants. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Having had a late spell of very warm weather last month, the trees held on to their leaves longer than usual. The Autumn colours have been really showing in all their glory since the middle of the month. The Japanese maple in the back garden looks as spectacular as ever this year.

Autumn_foliage_of_a_Japanese_maple — Fiery leaves. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

The second half of the month has seen strong winds, a named storm (Babet) and heavy rain hitting this part of the country. Little damage here thank goodness, but lots of flooding around the area. The rain has washed plenty of leaves to the ground, and there are piles to be swept up all over the garden.

Autumn_shades_on_a_grey_day — Autumn on a grey, wet day. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

A_pile_of_Autumn_leaves — Just leaves. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

There aren’t so many flowers in the garden at the moment. But these Bidens, usually a summer annual here in Scotland, seeded themselves and only started flowering last month. The Autumn crocus suffered in the frost and then the heavy rain, and the poor pink rhododendron is very confused by the weather. It produced a solitary flower last week which sadly didn’t last more than a couple of days.

Scottish_garden_October_flowers — Bidens, Autumn crocus and solitary rhododendron flower. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I put the greenhouse to bed this weekend. The tomato plants had just about finished and the last of the aubergines (egg plant) were ready for picking. All that remains are some late season potatoes. I’m not sure how well they are doing but I guess that I will find out in another month or so when I dig them up.

Putting_the_greenhouse_to_bed_end_of_October_2023 — End of season in the greenhouse. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

There was a new visitor in the garden this week. A little hedgehog made its way to the apple tree. I think he/she was in search of dropped bird seed from the feeder above. The prickly visitor rolled into a ball as soon as it heard us approaching. There are plenty of leaves around in the garden so hopefully this little fellow will make a comfy bed in one of the hedges for the coming winter.

Hedgehog_in_a_ball_under_an_apple_tree — Garden hedgehog. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

That’s all for this week. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the changing season. Until my next post, take care and my best wishes to you 🙂

Autumn into winter

November 27, 2022November 27, 2022 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Scottish_garden_Autumn_frost_November_2022 — The first ground frost of Autumn 2022. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

As another month draws to a close, it’s been a rather wet and dreary end to the season of Autumn here in central Scotland. Photographically speaking, there have been very few blue-sky days to capture the warm, glowing colours of this time of the year. Nevertheless, I have a few images which I hope convey the natural glory of the month just passing.

River_Earn_Perthshire_Scotland_late_November_2022 — Late Autumn, River Earn, Perthshire, Scotland. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I took these photos a couple of weeks ago whilst out on a walk along the local riverbank. Even though the sky was a dull grey and the waters looked cool and steely, the colours of the leaves still clinging to the trees looked spectacular.

Golden_Acer_leaves_November_2022 — Golden leaf colour. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Back home in the garden at the same time, the Japanese Maple (Acer) tree was ablaze with glowing yellow leaves. But following a few heavy downpours and some strong winds, the last of the leaves have fallen.

November_2022_sunrise_over_a_Scottish_garden — November sun-rise and sun-up. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Usually, the month of November brings with it glorious sunsets and sunrises, but I have only managed to capture one sunrise, and that was during the last week. You can see the same Maple tree now bereft of leaves in the early morning sunshine.

Nerines_in_flower_in_November_2022 — A welcome splash of vibrant pink. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Throughout the month, these Nerines have been giving a very welcome show of bright pink colour. They look so exotic and fragile but are incredibly hardy. Still going strong is the planter of Bidens and Astors I planted back in June. Such great value. Usually by now the planter is full of bulbs ready for spring but I can’t bring myself to dig these bedding plants up just yet.

Late_flowering_Bidens_and_purple_Astors_November_2022 — Still flowering in the Autumn sunshine. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

And so to a reminder that winter is just around the corner. The holly hedge is abundant with great clusters of berries this year, as is the snowberry bush in the back garden. I hope this isn’t a sign of a particularly cold winter ahead. It’s been a good year for blueberries as well. This late variety is still ripening at a rate of a small handful a week.