Floor covering selections

We have chosen he floor covering for the new house.

On the ground floor there will be a natural lava/basalt floor in the entry area and an oak floor thoughout the rest (not in the bathroom, which will be tiled).

Left to right: lava/basalt from EG, oak from EG and carpet from OG

Oak floor from EG - no flash

Oak floor from EG - with flash

On the first floor there will be a short arched pile wool carpet (not in the bathrooms, of course).  After a bit of dithering we have gone for a warmish pale blue, but it was a close run thinh with the wasabi green.

Carpet from OG - no flash

Carpet from OG - with flash

 There will be underfloor heating throughout, just in case you wondered.

Ideas from the neighbours

Whilst visiiting nearby Schloss Schönbusch the other day, I picked up a couple of ideas for the layout of our new garden.

I think I need another word or two with the architect to see if we can squeeze something similar in by the terrace near the brook.

EHS Summer Show 2012 - Results

The EHS Late Summer Show was on 23rd - the weather held and the competition entries were extremely good.

The prizes were awarded as follows:

• Best root vegetable - Richard S
• Best other vegetable - Phil W
• Best fruit - Tom S
• Most attractive bunch of cut flowers - Richard S (although could easily have gone to the dahlias, if you ask me)
• Best junior - Myla H
• Best home made produce - Jochen G
• EHS special prize (red devil chilis from supplied seeds) - Simon E
• Helernus award for the biggest specimen - Simon E (giant pumpkin)
• Best in show - Stephen T (cake, but it was a close run thing)
  

Highlights of the show were the home made fruity brews and the knock-out home made chocolate truffles.  The judge was kind enough to also bring seeds for participants to take away in order to grow a butterfly atrracting bed of flowers for next year.

Our thanks to the organising committee (ha ha ha) and let's hope we have a good time again next year.

Fecundity and obliteration

After two weeks of rain swept south west England, it was not too bad to get back to a rainy Germany.  Whilst there we had a chance to look around the (rainy) gardens at Greenway (NT) in Devon, where I really like to the peach frame in the grrenhouse.

Peach frame at Greenway

But somehow the time away had seen just the mixture of rain and sun required to make my few little pumpkin plants go completely beserk.

Pumpkin invasion

Unfortunately, the pumpkin plants grew not only all across the vegetable plot, but also across the lawn, up the (3m high) hedge and into the neighbour's runner beans.  My baby leeks were crushed.  Some of the pea row got pulled down.  And my own runer bea plants got assimilated with the pumpkins into the hedge.  Aargh.  But the good thing is the pumpkins are great (Turk's Turban) and there are plenty of them (around 30 so far.  Anyone know any easy recipe for pumpkin wine?

Plant swap and subsequent planting

The EHS Plant Swap has been and gone and was pretty successful.  Our hosts were very welcoming and the rain held off. Sadly I didn't get quite what I was looking for (brussel sprouts, courgettes, ...) but I did pick up one or two nice things.  The vegetable patch looked great.

Back at the allotment I spent some time on Monday (apart from weeding) filling in the gaps where my peas had failed to germinate (Lancet ... Onward was fine) and putting some leek seed in.

Plant swap party tomorrow

Wednesday was so wet that I couldn't get a skip delivered, so Thursday there was no skip ... so I could work in the allotment with a clear conscience.  I just did weeding, but there were and still are plenty of weeds.  I needed to clear some space for the results of tomorrow's plant swap.

Today we were back at the building plot attacking the villa again.  The front wall has gone now - they delivered the skip this morning.  Just the huge back wall to go, which will be attacked tomorrow morning.

Tomorow afternoon is the EHS Plant Swap Party.  I'll be taking pumpkins, chili peppers, black-eyed suzy, nasturtia and a couple of sun flowers.  I'll be looking for anything in the way of vegetables, really.  No herbs this year - last year's plant swap mint is not wanting to leave.

Avengers in 3D was fun.  The pea risotto in the fridge was a bit old, but still tasty.  And my foot hurts where I almost whacked it with the axe today.

Lady Di back for another crop

I saved plenty of seeds from last year's prize-winning Lady Di runner beans and kept them in the shed over winter.  This March I started them off in the cold frame and got 100% germination.  There was enough rain to re-saturate south England at the weekend, but I went out to the allotment in any case and, among other things, got the beans planted in their final location.

The carpet on the right (bright pink on the other side) is helping to keep the pumpkin/squash area weed free until I get a chance to plant the seedlings.  For now, they'll have to cope in the cold frame a little longer.

The peas are planted (first row).  I have gone for a 50-50 mix of Onward and Kelvedon Wonder.  If that row works out okay I will put in a second row in around three week's time.  Perhaps I'll try some Lancet.