Garden Dreams

I was going through some old photos today and found that I had never posted my trip to Melbourne, namely one of my favourite experiences, Captain Cooks Cottage. I know it sounds way daggy, but it was really very sweet. It had a gorgeous garden that has inspired some garden dreams for the future. It was full of foxgloves and cottage garden plants and really satisfied the Anglophile in me.

The cottage was bought over from England and was the first house Cook and his wife lived in. It is very tiny and has a fairytale quality. We are such a young country here, (only 220 odd years old) that little bits of history like this really strike a note with us.

On my book wish list is now Kitchen Gardens of Australia, by Kate Herd. I had a look at it in the bookshop, and if I wasn't so cheap, I would have bought it on the spot! But being on frugal Scottitsh stock, I will put in a request for purchase at the library.

Looking at the pics I realised that I had been neglecting my vege patch of late, partly because of the heat, partly laziness and also because of the resident snake. But I girded my loins and decided to spend at least an hour in it...I called defeat after half an hour. It is still stinking hot here, and very steamy (Evidence: the dazzling green of the growth)

I harvested about sixty cucumbers, which have grown too big, and got very itchy from the prickles on the vine.  Partnered with the sweat, I nearly screamed in exasperation. I should really pickle them, but I am not in that space at the moment.They will all go to my naughty chooks who seem to have a developed a taste for eggplant. (Those demned fowl!)

From the ten eggplant on my vines,  I managed to harvest two. Maybe the cucumbers will distract them.

So, enough of the garden for now, I am  going to make some bunny and Biblical Little Golden Book buntings. I am  not sure how they will go, but hey...one has to try.