Gourmet Delights

 Everything is going crazy on Matron's allotment at the moment. These lovely long days are making the fruit and veggies just grow and grow.  These Dalizia cucumbers in the greenhouse are lovely. Short, pale green cucumbers are delightful to snack on. Thin skinned and very refreshing.

 I am growing extra long varieties of Chilli this year to enter the Guinness Book of Records 'Longest Chilli' competition which is being organised by Sea Spring Seeds.  There is currently no existing record, so whoever grows the longest chilli this year will get the record.  I am growing two varieties; This one is Joe' Long Cayenne and the other one is called Spaghetti.

 The greenhouse tomatoes are a little bit ahead of the outdoor plants.  These Sungold tomatoes are ripening well now.  Definitely my favourite tomato variety.  The taste is wonderful.

 Pumpkins have started to trail now, I have put a wooden board under one of the developing pumpkins to keep it clean.  This variety is Rouge Vif D'Etamps.  A lovely, dark golden Cinderella type shape.

 This is the first year I have a crop from my Tayberry plant.  Tayberry is a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry. It fruits on the previous years' growth.  At the moment it is putting out great big shoots for next year.

I know that Matron does not do flowers... well times change and even though I still hold true to this ethos, I must do my bit to encourage pollinating insects into my veggie garden.  These Sunflowers are a variety called Giraffe.  The bees just love them, and I hope to keep them over Winter for the birds to eat the seeds too. (if those pesky Grey Squirrels don't get them first)