The only gardening related activity last week was a visit to a local garden centre to buy our seed potatoes and onion sets.
As well as offering seed potatoes in the usual bags, there are also individual potatoes on sale which is ideal for those who wish just to plant one or two tubers in pots or, like us, want to try something different.
We bought five tubers each of Elland and Francis. Francis is an early variety and Elland is an early maincrop. We also bought bags of two varieties that are new to us, Skywalker – a second early and Kingsman – a maincrop. Three other varieties Orla – second early, Sagitta – maincrop and Ulster Prince – first Early are all varieties that we have successfully grown before. We will also replant some of the potatoes that we grew last year.
We bought four varieties of onions, Rumba, Hercules and Centurion that we have grown before and Bamberger, a variety new to us, described as a long onion. The description online describes them as pear-shaped. We didn’t buy shallot sets this year as we are sticking with seed-sown Zebrune which produces better results for us, as do seed-sown red onions – Red Baron.
Other than shopping at the garden centre, we have, as usual, walked with Ruby
I’ve never seen a flock of waterhens anywhere other than Temple Newsam.
Last week we swapped Nostell for Wentworth Castle. Ruby wasn’t impressed that she had to be kept on a fixed lead as she likes to run around which she can do on her usual extending lead. Neither was she happy that she couldn’t have a game of chase. Whenever we were at what she considered to be a good spot, she hopefully looked at us and went into game mode.
On a positive note, Ruby gained her sixth stamp on her National Trust passport and was presented with a bag of treats.
We walked up to the castle ruins.
Ruby is very inquisitive and had to explore every single nook and cranny. In one of the archways she found a handy step that she could jump on to look out of a ‘window’.
Sheep grazed in a field separated from the garden area by a low wall and a ha-ha.
As far as Ruby is concerned low walls are for jumping up on. 
Before we headed home we walked around the deer park, parts of which were very boggy. It was just as well that Ruby was due a shower when we arrived home,
Finally, some of last week’s meals.
Some of our onion, garlic, leeks and peas were used in a chicken, leek and mushroom risotto.
Most of the ingredients for a vegetable orzo dish were shop-bought but I also used some of our onions and frozen sweetcorn and chilli. The recipe has disappeared from the internet but other ingredients were red, green and orange peppers, mushrooms, tomato and white wine.
Our onion, potato, parsnip and frozen peas were used in a spicy cottage pie although I used minced turkey instead of beef.
That’s all for this week so as always stay safe and stay well.
What a good idea for small gardens or even balcony gardens, selling individual potato tubers. A great way to encourage children into gardening too, I’d imagine.
What a good idea for small gardens or even balcony gardens, selling individual potato tubers. A great way to encourage children into gardening too, I’d imagine.