Cook Your Dream: Our Kitchen Garden Update

I just found an old blog post that I wrote about a month ago but never actually posted it. It was my garden update and I couldn't believe how much our garden has changed since I wrote it. It's almost like kids, plants grow so fast. Looking at the old pictures of our kitchen garden, I felt happy and proud. I saw result of our everyday care and love we try to give to our plants. Result of the constant battle with whiteflies, leafhoppers, aphides, slugs, snails and other pests. We try to protect our plants, nurture them and they give us what they can for our care. I love our small kitchen garden. It's a hobby, pleasure and fun. I often think of my grandparents who used to have a big garden with all kinds of fruit and vegetables and some fruit trees. I would need their knowledge and experience now. They knew how to fight pests and how to give the best to every possible plant to get the best fruit and vegetable in return. I try to remember everything I can from my childhood when I used to help my grandparent in their garden, because unfortunately I can not ask them for advice. Instead, we learn. We learn every day, and we may not be the best gardeners, but we do our best and appreciate every new fruit our garden gives us.

Greek Basil

Last strawberries of the season

Mint

Although we love our garden, it's not always an easy job. Especially when weather doesn't cooperate. A typical British summer with frequent showers and lack of sunshine doesn't help our tomatoes to ripen. I'm so impatient! Large leafhoppers population nearly destroyed oregano and sage plant. It's a labour of love, but it's extremely satisfying and it's fun. For example, we grow "his" and "her" plants. P. insisted he wanted to grow chilli peppers and I had to have my rhubarb.

"Her" Rhubarb

"His" Chilli Peppers

Red Lettuce

Broad Beans

Marjoram in Bloom

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Not all of our gardening attempts are successful. The purple sprouting broccoli plant doesn't do very well and I doubt it will ever produce any sprouts. Most of the tomatoes are still green, which is not our fault, but luckily there are already a few red ones too. We also planted new seeds of Swiss Chard, because the first plants were destroyed by black flies. Gardening is a never ending job but so rewarding.