Thursday 30 May 2013

Hobnob Rocky Road




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I usually make my rocky roads with Rich Tea biscuits but getting an impromptu craving today and only having Hobnobs in the house, I decided to experiment.



Ingredients to fill a shallow 7 inch tin

150g dark chocolate [I use Madagascar from Lidl at 46% cocoa]

65g butter

1.5 tbsp golden syrup

100g hobnobs crushed [you could use supermarket own brand oat biscuits for the same effect]

50g marshmallows



Directions

Grease and line your tin

Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup over a low heat

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Line the tin with the biscuits and marshmallows


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Mix in half the chocolate mixture

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Pour the remaining mix over the top


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Leave to cool and then refrigerate for at least two hours.

Cut and enjoy!

***Alternatively, you could leave out the marshmallows and put in some dried fruit***

MOSS GRAFFITI

Whether you consider it guerrilla gardening or eco friendly vandalism, moss graffiti is a way of making living, breathing art. Try it in on your own property!

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Hanging Baskets

My hanging baskets at the height of last Autumn were bountiful and beautiful [albeit filled from garden centre plants].

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The three plants I used, Cyclamen, Pansies and Fern, were great hardy choices to last through the winter months but as we see ourselves in May, they are spent. So I've set a challenge to fill the baskets to the same capacity again but from seed this time. Along with a few Nasturtium seeds, I've used the following varieties:

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Using lovely compost from the garden heap which has been enriched with some seaweed and hay, the baskets are filled and seeded and fingers crossed for some nice flowers

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Update: Baskets on 28th May [two weeks after planting]

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My Garden on 28th May 2013


I'm full of beans today.... broad beans to be precise. For the last week, I've been feasting on the young beans [about 2 inches in length] lightly steamed in their pods while allowing the other half of the crop to develop in to large pods, from which I will harvest the beans. I've already posted photos of my bean plants and I think they show that planting in early winter, under cover, and frequent attention - picking out shoot tips [which are beautiful steamed] - can lead to a healthy and bountiful crop. This is my first time ever growing beans.








The spud stalks are rapidly growing. Lets hope the tubers are doing the same under ground.




It's time I gave the potato plants a good feed, and comfrey tea is supposed to be excellent.





Onions are coming along nicely





My three sided mini pea hedge [mange tout interplanted with sweet pea] doesn't need much support now but it won't be long before I am securing some branches around the perimeter:





All things considered, things are looking good in the garden. I'll finish with a few flower photos - important for drawing our friends, the honey bees.








Wednesday 8 May 2013

My Garden: 8th May 2013

First broad beans are sprouting. Yipeeeee!







Third bed divided into compartments filled as follows:
Spinach                          Peas/sweet peas
Mixed greens                 Peas/sweet peas
Dill                                 Brussels sprouts
Beetroot       Mixed greens       Radishes
Little seedlings are given a head-start by covering them with plastic bottles to protect and nurture