We're gonna need a bigger pot

 Al'reet m' chiefs,

 

Of course the title's a play on a line in the 1975 film Jaws - 'We're gonna need a bigger boat'. Before I get onto pots, I'd like to share a little outing, and perhaps some boats... It's been an action packed week off and now I'm feeling like I need extra time to recover! One highlight was going over to the north coast with the kiddiwinkles and ancient ones.

 

The Fern Pit Cafe on the edge of Newquay, overlooks the River Gannel and Crantock beach. If I ever I think Long Mizzle's split levels are challenging, I think of the heavenly steep cliff side garden that tumbles down from the cafe to the boathouse and footbridge below.

Above: Red Valerian (Centrranthus ruber)

Unfortunately the steps, boathouse and footbridge were closed off on the day we visited. I have many fond memories of spending whole dusty summer days as a child, mucking about crab fishing, then walking back up the endless steps for an ice cold strawberry milkshake on the top tea terraces.

 These upper steps look easy going  - but they get increasingly steeper as you go down.

 

 

The cafe, boathouse and ferry have been owned by the same family since 1910. The menu has been revamped over the years but happily the inside of the cafe has changed very little, still with serene white washed walls and painted concrete floors-

 

Beetroot humus, avocado and apple sandwich (a bit healthy 'eh!)
 

 

Flashback joy - even the toilet cistern and mirror is still the same -

 

But most spectacular of all - the views -

Above: my future house being built perhaps ;)

Below: Just look at those Tree Echiums go!

Here's my stash of little Tree Echiums back at Long Mizzle, ready to be re-positioned. They will take about three years to flower, set seed and then die -

Self-seeded seedlings beneath the area where last years spiky bloom was -

Some more boats - this time at Newquay harbour -

 

A rare action shot of me in my bobby dazzler carbooted sunglasses (£1) and double layer woolen cardie (£3) (I think I am turning into my old school science teacher!) -

 Onto more carbootyness  - here are the pots I found at this week's Rosudgeon car boot sale -

Stacked on top of each other - x2 massive red self-watering / water reservoir tomato planters. These will house my five different types of tomato plants in the greenhouse. A steal at £10 for the pair.

The blue storage container is earmarked for the cucumbers. I need to dig out my potato bags as my tatties are well and truly chitted now!

Also £10 for two - sturdy stonewear pipe junctions that will be planted with succulents.

I am really chuffed with these carbooty finds, as pots are really quite expensive from garden centres.
 

This week has all been about trying to carve out space for more veggie and fruit growing. With food prices rocketing, I am going back to growing more edibles this year... but I cannot bring myself to cast away the ornamental plants.

Above - before: A bit wild 

Below - after: New circular, stone lined bed for peas, fennel and rhubarb

 

 

Wigwam for the peas - a work in progress -

 

 

The hardening off bench - where to put it all!?

 

Next project: rebuilding the storm battered voodoo arch for the runner beans. This means new compost, new wood and the bottoms cut out from the pots (=less watering required).

Phew, that's enough for today. I'll leave you with one more pot and one more boat -

Tulips with colour coordinated laundry

Coastal cottage, Flushing

 

I hope you are keeping well. For those with blogaleenas, I look forward to properly doing the rounds this week (as you know I am always fashionably late darling!)

Lulu xXx

p.s. This is how Monsieur (AKA 'Twenty3Thirty2') spent his time off - if he ever gets round to doing this live, we have decided I will be playing bass guitar, with sunglasses and granny cardie of course ;) -

 

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