Strawberries

Look at these beauties, fresh from the allotment for an Eton mess, one of my favourite desserts. I have about 3 or 4 varieties, some from garden centres and some given to me from one of the other allotmenteers. 

All delicious and ranging in size from large and shiny dark red to small and pale red. 

For me strawberries epitomise summer - warm lazy days in the garden,
cream teas and of course Wimbledon.

We have been enjoying my allotment strawberries all through June, and it's only now that they are starting to tail off. But as one crop finishes another is waiting in the wings to take over, enter stage right - equally lucious raspberries which I also put into Eton mess.

Other crops doing well on the allotment are lettuces, beetroot (love it), brussel sprouts, purple broccoli, cabbages, parsnips, runner beans, sweetcorn, and the new potatoes are delicious. Late potatoes are looking good. Carrots are struggling but I think they will be ok. Not doing quite so well are the swedes, they were growing beautifully but something is eating them. They are covered with chicken wire so it's not pigeons, I think it might be slugs. The broad beans have gone the same way as last years' - covered in black stuff, so they've gone in the bin. Onions didn't even germinate.