Extended garden season

Back outside in the veg section, my broad beans and onions are all doing well, I will have to stake these soon, I have some home made leaf mulch to spread over this bed. My joy is having so much growing for food is keeping me happy, I walk down this end of the garden most days, I need to be growing things, time outside is very healing, my greenhouse is full as well, so I have a wet day play area. 

This view looking back towards the house is lovely, I have cut down my raspberry canes growing along the fence, some I have kept on the bed, they will rot and feed the soil, the rest is in the compost bin. The potatoes for Christmas are showing again, I have high hopes for a good crop. It's very messy close to the house, I am counting down the weeks until the work is started.

This flower bed is just as I imagined, my three shrubs and my chimney pots give height, the gladiola plants are dying back, I have filled this bed with bulbs, every type except tulips, which I love but prefer grown in tubs. I should only need a few bedding plants along the front next year, saving me money. The statue is a mere cat with a camera, I've had it years, I moved it from the back garden, there are three fence lights on the railings, they give just enough light each evening.

The last of the tomatoes are ripening, I find a paper bag always works well. Some of these will be a base for the first batch of soup. There is a mixture  of yellow, red and tiger skins. I had a good steady crop this summer, using 4 different plants, I did not use all the seeds, so I am thinking of having the same varieties next summer. 

Our back growing section of the garden is doing well, the veg beds are as big as we could make them, whilst allowing decent paths around the raised bed, I'm extending the raspberries, I would like a couple summer fruiting canes. I'm still looking for a rhubarb for my fruit bed, I have new strawberry plants growing from babies. I have planted my cranberry plant, it takes about 3 years to produce berries.

Hubby did another tip run, the last of all the stuff is gone, our neighbour has their raised beds, we put some of the spare decking planks behind our greenhouse. I sorted my plastic pots and loads of them have gone, the rest have been cleaned and packed away for the winter, our local tip has a plant pot recycling area. All the supports and bits from the beds have been cleaned and packed into the garage, my side is packed at this time of year, but I don't need to get at much, so it's not a problem. 

I dead head cyclamen so they keep flowering and pick up leaves most days, I still like to keep the garden tidy. I have been asked to cut back all the plants in my side flower bed, the landscaper does not want to deal with stuff dropping whilst he is working, the hotlips are still blooming, I don't normally cut them back until spring, so that's a job to do in a couple of weeks, when I dig out the bed by the backdoor. Soon as the weather changes I won't be outside, so I love everything tidy, allowing me to watch the wildlife for our sitting room, the garden works for me every day of the year. 

Sunday was such a lovely sunny day, no wind, perfect to be outside, we managed a local walk, I planted all my tulip bulbs, inside with the Christmas cake baking, the rich smell of spices invaded the whole house. Monday I baked another cake and soaked the final dried fruits, keeping the chain going, I did get my Christmas hamper out of the attic, I store all the items I need in November in the box, cards ect, and found a couple of cake boards. Today is sign group and later I'm baking my last cake.