My New Veggie Garden

 I started clearing one of my old raised beds today.  Digging out all the shrubs and flowers except this old blackcurrant bush.  I am going to prune and train it up against this South facing wall.  I brought with me from my old allotment about a dozen bags of soil which I spread out in this bed.

 I did manage to bring some Swiss Chard seedings with me, so I hope to plant them out in a sheltered spot.  Swiss Chard and other leaf crops are one veggie that can tolerate some shade in a growing patch so they should do well here.

 I also brought some mint with me.  I will find a large pot or raised bed so that it does not spread.

 I cut my Joe's Long Chilli plants from my old greenhouse, They are not quite ripe yet, so I have hung them over my balcony rails and they are beginning to ripen in the sunshine now.

 I also found a passenger in one of the bags of soil I brought from my old garden.  This smooth newt had been hiding in the clay soil. They are one of the most common newts in the UK. They eat worms, spiders, slugs and other critters so there will be lots for it to eat here.

My garden backs on to a small river, so it will be really at home in the undergrowth here.  As I was releasing it on the river bank I noticed this beautiful orange underside.