THE SPASMODIC GARDENER

Ain't they sweet !

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AT LAST - THE HARVEST

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Today I harvested the first crop of potatoes at Ardhu for over 30 years ! As Dew devotees have been there for the planting I thought it only fair to include you in the harvest. This afternoon I fetched the fork from the garden shed and delicately uprooted my first potato stalk, and the feeling of discovering the subterranean crop is really invigorating. Admittedly I have seen bigger spuds in a day’s walk but never dug from my own little patch and caked in the rich black earth of my own back garden ! This is something that transcends gardening and horticultural routine, this is , hear ye, hear ye the very stuff of our life on this planet as the Scripture reminds us, "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (Genesis8:22)

Now that is a Sweet Pea !

And as if the vegetable crop is not enough my Sweet Pea has grown to the extent that I fear very soon it will be demanding human sacrifice to maintain its food requirements ! I can just see those snap-dragon floral heads snapping at some tasty morsel of flesh to satisfy its insatiable appetite as it cascades over the garden fence. I may soon have to erect a sign saying BEWARE OF THE MAN-EATING SWEET PEA !

Flowering explosion !

The one blight in my ‘growing’ experience has been the virtual annihilation of my brasicas by flying insects and butterflies. Due to my recent indisposition I did not protect them from these aerial onslaughts and sadly have paid a heavy price. Next year I will know better and take greater care.

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Gerard O'Shea