In fact today we visited a place I have been interested in for a fair while, The Garden Museum at Lambeth Palace. I pass the building daily on my walk to work and many a time I have been listening to some of the VISTA lectures that take place at the museum with the likes of Beth Chatto, Fergus Garrett and Dan Pearson. These are lectures that have accompanied my walks on the grayest of days and brought bushels of green into the imagination.
Today was 'Rhubarb Day', and as the name suggest it involved a good amount of plants for sale and food to eat. We had a lovely mug of tea and a delicious rhubarb fool after heading out into the knot garden as the sun went in. The place reminded me of a quaint country village hall, the ecclesiastical columns, the vaulted roof and stained glass mixed with trestle tables, a tea urn and rather friendly volunteers. 'Tis a truly marvellous and slightly idyllic setting in the centre of London.
However much the rhubarb plants looked at us, we decided not to buy one. But we couldn't resist the basket of Onion known as 'Tri-colour' or as I said, and will forever more know them 'Pick 'N' Mix', and two variety's of main crop potatoes 'Hunter' and 'Harmony', all for a grand total of £3.50p. Bargain!
This now means that I have to squeeze into my cropping plan the onions, which I hadn't accounted for this year. But I guess that is the organic development of gardening isn't it.....
"Mr Middleton says: 'it pays to have system of cropping'"
I live in the knowledge that I did and I do, but it will just have to be adjusted!
Dean
