The rainfall for May was 100.3 mm and the sunshine we have had along with Friday’s deluge of more rain is bringing the plants on a treat. The wind scorched leaves are starting to be overtaken by some new growth and all fingers are crossed that we have some settled weather for just a while.
The basil got planted as did the cucumbers and a few random tomatoes. We sowed eight different lettuce varieties, and having noticed that the gooseberries had started swelling, thought it was a good idea to put some netting over them before the birds also discover them. The onions and garlic are starting to swell, and many of them are throwing out a flower head which must be removed as soon as it appears or else the plant will concentrate all its energy into the flower and the bulb at the base will fail to develop.
We have had just had the delivery of the last two cold frames at Enbrook Park. As yet they are not in their final resting place but will have to stay just where they are for a while until such time as we get to have a good sort out.
The garden at Fremantle Park is also filling out and looking more interesting. All the herbs in the Golden Valley community areas are looking particularly good right now, and below is a picture showing six cut bunches (from left to right, top to bottom) – flat leaf parsley, lemon balm, coriander, mint variety 1, mint variety 2, and dill. The parsley and coriander look so similar we have to keep tasting them to remind ourselves which is which.
There was great excitement during our Saturday morning garden session when we had the sheer delight of witnessing a dragonfly from our pond metamorphose from the larvae into a beautiful dragonfly and finally fly away. We photographed it drying its wings in the sun where it was perched on the ‘lambs ears’ planted right on the pond edge. It left behind the incredible empty shell of its old body just sitting on the plant as if it were resting there – simply amazing. We discovered it was a female Broad-bodied Chaser, being yellow, and that the male is blue. We shall be paying great attention to the pond area in the hope of seeing more.
What’s next?
- The final bit of spinach needs picking and pulling up
- Some broccoli may be ready
- Remove any bindweed and mares tails creeping in
- Support some of the trailing Goji berries
- Find some open netting for the strawberries
- Sow kale, Romanesco and beetroot
Developing onion flower head 
Fremantle Park plot Herbs Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly
