Seeds and slow worms

I uncovered another bit of ground today, and found a slow worm that I thought must be dead; but after a few minutes in the light it began to move, so I helped it under another piece of carpet.  I must find out how to give it an appropriate home once all the carpet is gone.

Last week the seed potatoes - maincrop and Pink Fir Apple new potatoes - went in as a pioneer crop on a patch that has grown only nettles in the recent past.  I also sowed salad leaves and radishes, weeded the strawberry bed, and kept on with the project of clearing the last third of the plot.

This week I cleared a space that will house annual flowers for cutting, and sowed mizuna, garden cress, the endive (Bianca Riccia da Taglio) that was such a success last year, and kailaan or Chinese stem broccoli, which promises a quick crop.  It has not rained significantly since before Easter, although there were showers overnight, so seeds have been slow to germinate, but seedlings are now showing for rocket, lollo rosso, radishes and cavolo nero.  The Sciabola Verde broad beans have also popped up.

At home, I've sown bushy sunflowers, cosmos, dianthus and globe thistle to go in the cutting flowers patch (too titchy to merit the title cutting garden) and courgettes, squash and sweetcorn for planting out later.  The marigolds have been pricked out and put into paper pots.  The tomato seedlings are doing OK, and a tray of mixed salad is gracing the garden table for emergency greens supplies.  If it all grows, the plot will be full to bursting come June.