What a mixed bag of weather we had last week!
One minute we were sitting in the car with rain and hail pounding on the roof, the next we were shivering and reaching for an extra jumper. By the end of the week, however, we were applying sunscreen and enjoying some much-needed warmth.
Despite the unpredictable conditions at the beginning of the week, we managed to tackle several jobs that had been repeatedly postponed because of the weather. At the end of the week planting was progressing at full speed, and we even enjoyed a tiny harvest.
Ruby also had some new experiences this week — along with a couple of disappointments.
At Home and in the Garden
Now that temperatures have risen, the young plants in the greenhouse have been kick-started into growth. Perhaps all is not lost after all.
At the Allotment
Packets of carrot seed have been waiting patiently while we repeatedly postponed sowing them. Our reasoning was simple: if seeds were struggling to germinate in the greenhouse, they were unlikely to fare any better out on the plot.
By Friday, however, temperatures had risen considerably and we finally decided conditions were right for sowing. We sowed the seeds in two beds, using our usual method of creating shallow trenches filled with multipurpose compost. The trenches were thoroughly watered before the compost was added. Once the seeds had been sown, both beds were watered again and covered with Enviromesh tunnels to protect them from carrot root fly. The covers will remain in place until the beds are cleared.
Meanwhile, the protection was removed from our two beds of early potatoes. We would be extremely unlucky to experience any more frosts this late in the season.
We planted out several dahlias that had spent the winter in the greenhouse.
We planted two lots of sweetcorn. One is baby corn which we have grown twice before but always left it too long before harvesting – we must do better this year.
We also planted one lot of courgettes and the Crown Prince squash.
We haven’t grown lettuce on the allotment for some time because it has often fallen victim to slugs, but we’ve decided to give it another try this year. If the weather isn’t too wet, perhaps we’ll have better luck.
Some of the raspberry canes that I thinned out last week were showing signs of yellowing foliage, so I treated them to a feed containing sequestered iron.
We also picked our first ripe strawberry of 2026.
Of course, the dry weather means that we are back on watering duties but at least now the water pressure has been sorted filling cans doesn’t take so long.
Out and About
Temple Newsam
As we arrived at Temple Newsam on Monday, the heavens opened. We parked up and sat in the car for around 40 minutes while rain and hail battered the roof.
Will the rain stop at Temple Newsam
As there appeared to be a reasonably dry spell, we gave Ruby a game of chase-the-ball.
The two photos below were taken from exactly the same position, facing in different directions.
As the rain showed no sign of an imminent return, we decided to risk a walk.
The rhododendrons should be at their peak but this year the flowers have been subjected to a severe battering.
Heading back towards the car, we spotted a different type of goat in one of the fields. This one was a Royal Guernsey Golden dairy goat. The breed narrowly escaped extinction during the German occupation of Guernsey in World War II, when livestock were slaughtered for food. One woman hid a small flock in a sea cave on her land, preserving the breed. Their numbers remain relatively low, so they are still considered a rare breed. It was granted the title “Royal Guernsey Golden” in 2024.
On the way home, we stopped at a nearby garden centre, which resulted in Ruby’s first disappointment of the week. At a garden centre closer to home she is always offered a treat at the checkout, but no such reward was forthcoming here.
On our second visit later in the week our usual route was unavailable because a large area had been fenced off in preparation for the Slam Dunk Festival. The name doesn’t exactly make it sound inviting, does it? I hadn’t heard of any of the headline acts, although I’m hardly up to date with contemporary music these days.
Instead of our usual lakeside walk, we took a circuit around the house.
Nunnington Hall
We decided to visit National Trust Nunnington Hall, which probably has the most challenging car park of any National Trust property we have visited. Not only was it difficult to find a parking space within what is essentially a small wooded area, but the ground was also extremely muddy—not ideal when four paws are involved.
It was also the scene of Ruby’s second disappointment.
At many National Trust properties, staff make a fuss of Ruby and usually produce a dog treat when we show our membership cards. Ruby sat expectantly, deploying her cutest expression, but was completely overlooked. She looked at me as if to say, “Could you ask whether they’ve noticed how good I’m being?”
She soon had another surprise when we entered the garden. Peacocks roam freely throughout the eight-acre grounds and, just as we arrived, one of the birds emitted a piercing shriek. The raucous call seems entirely at odds with the beauty of the male bird. We were treated to a full display of his magnificent tail feathers, although it was a nearby peahen—not us—that he was hoping to impress.
I initially assumed that the decorative gate at the end of the grass walk had been inspired by peacock feathers. In fact, it features a traditional grapevine and pomegranate design, a style popular on English country estates during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The gardens include beautiful herbaceous borders, traditional Ryedale fruit orchards managed as wildflower meadows, and a sheltered walled garden. In 2002, the walled garden became one of the first National Trust gardens to be managed entirely using organic principles.
We enjoyed exploring the gardens, but with dogs not permitted inside the house there wasn’t quite enough to keep us occupied for a full afternoon. Consequently, on the journey home we made a second stop at Temple Newsam so Ruby could enjoy another run after her ball and stretch her legs with a walk.
Finally…
Last week felt as though it couldn’t decide which season it was supposed to be. We sheltered from hailstorms, worried about struggling seedlings and then found ourselves watering newly planted crops in warm sunshine.
With carrots finally sown, sweetcorn and squash planted out, and our first strawberry of the year picked, the allotment is beginning to look much more promising.
Ruby may have suffered the indignity of being overlooked for treats on two separate occasions, but she more than made up for it with plenty of ball chasing, new sights and sounds, and a close encounter with some rather vocal peacocks.
Let’s hope the weather has finally decided that summer is on its way.
As always, until next time, stay safe, stay well and don’t forget the sunscreen!
Those Nunnington Hall garden look really beautiful. Someone has peacocks near our allotment site and they are so noisy. I haven’t seen one for a long time so it was nice to see your photo of the spectacular male.
I hope the days of rain/hail and cold are passed now – have had quite enough of that!
Ps. How could they ignore Ruby? What a cheek!
Ruby wasn’t impressed, Belinda
Lots of people were hanging around the peacock waiting for a display but he didn’t repeat the show. We were just walking by at the right time,