Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
New Zealand Spinach
I snapped this butterfly sitting on my Lazy Housewife beans a couple of days ago. I looked it up on a website of British Butterflies, and have come to the conclusion that it might be a Comma. The wing shape is a little different, but maybe it has just flown in from Africa and is a bit ragged!
I've taken my first crop of New Zealand Spinach this week too. It is a succulent plant with fleshy leaves, and the texture when cooked is reflective of this. Quite a pleasant flavour but I don't know if it tastes like spinach or not.
Well done - my beans are all finger-joint sized! It will be a good fortnight before I get a few to eat.
ReplyDeleteLazy Housewife is coming on nicely in my garden - thank you for the seed swap.
ReplyDeleteI've already harvested some Bridgewater Beans - very sweet and tender.
Yes, it is indeed a Comma - one of my favourite butterflies :-)
Celia
That's definitely a comma; it's the only British butterfly with that outline. I get a lot on my plot, as the caterpillars feed on nettles and willow, which are both very common round the site.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful harvest. The butterfly is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe butterfly is stunning. Never seen one quite like that. Our beans are just setting now and are very small - but I know they will be ready to harvest before I am probably quite ready to tackle em!
ReplyDeleteThe Eden beans look lovely.
ReplyDeleteHi Matron,
ReplyDeleteI really like your blog and would like to feature it in an article I'm doing.
Do you have a contact email I can use to discuss this with you further?
Cheers
Ian
I like baluhilde beans. Just a shame, they don't keep their colour after cooking.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, a comma... In Dutch, it is called 'gehakkelde Aurelia', and you could translate that as 'ragged Aurelia'...
ReplyDelete