Although we did have some sunshine last week, the temperature dropped and we were back to wrapping up warmly and Ruby needed to go back to wearing her winter coat. 
At the weekend, we spent a couple of afternoons on the allotment. It’s too early for us to do any planting so we are still in tidying mode.
Martyn, dug over the bed where the annual flowers will be sown and spread a mulch of our compost over it.
I weeded a small bed in which we planted horseradish many years ago. This was originally a herb bed, and it seemed the right place for the horseradish. This was before we found out what a thug horseradish is. It didn’t make an ideal companion for other herbs, so the bed became a home for odd flowers that needed relocating. As for the horseradish, we try to restrict its growth as much as we can. It isn’t an easy plant to eradicate completely. Below is just one piece of root that I dug out. The photo doesn’t show how big the root was, I should have held it in my hand. It was over a foot or thirty centimetres long.
I also weeded and tidied the sweet Williams bed. The sweet Williams were planted last year, so they should have at least another good flowering year.
On our walk in the park, we noticed that the primroses had been planted. They should produce a lovely display in a few weeks’ time.
We spotted a small clump of scillas by the path. We noticed this single clump last year and wondered whether they were the result of guerrilla gardening or the work of maybe a squirrel storing stolen bulbs. I think I prefer the idea of a gardening squirrel.
At Temple Newsam, the daffodils are now stealing the show.
Daffodils are also flowering at the allotment, so I cut a few for a vase. I love their perfume when they are in an enclosed space. You didn’t think that I had stolen them, did you? I always pick daffodils in bud, but once in the house, the buds soon open.
At Temple Newsam, Ruby made a new friend; this time it was a donkey.
Back at home, another bud has made an appearance. We bought this amarylis, if you prefer hippeastrum, in 2020. Since then, it has flowered every year, making this its fifth flowering season. Most years, it has two flowers. On Wednesday, it looked as though it would only produce one flower this year, but by the weekend, a second bud was emerging.
It’s incredible how quickly these grow; there are just four days from the first photo to the second one.
Finally, a couple of last week’s meals.
Our potatoes, onions, green chilli and frozen cauliflower were used in a potato and cauliflower curry. I added more liquid to my version.
More of our potatoes and leeks were used in a chicken, leek and mushroom ‘cottage’ pie.
That’s all for this week, so as always until next time, stay safe and stay well.
Lovely to see sunny daffodils- and I did wonder if you had stolen them 😉
Whatever do you think of me Nelinda?
It is dreadfully cold! I now have someone coming in to do my garden. The native primroses are looking really pretty in the garden at the hospice where I attend.
I’m glad that you have help at last, Debbie