Fairweather Gardener.

When the Boys were younger we lived near a park, The sort with trees and grass and paths rather than playgrounds and sports equipment. Along the top path in this park, between the path and the houses was a row of allotments. This was in the years before Allotments became fashionable and they were largely manned by older (as in retired) Men. They grew many things, but I couldn´t help but notice that runner beans, a vegetable I like, and vegetable marrows( of doubtful culinary value), were more in evidence than anything else. I wondered why. I love runner beans and I have to say that Steve will eat them to the exclusion of all else but in my experience one or two plants at each corner of an tripod will easily feed a family of four, with some over for giving away. So a giant trellis running the entire width of an allotment...... well you can do the maths yourself.  What can I say about marrows other than a single specimen exhausts my stock of marrow recipes, lasts way longer than I want it to and rarely makes makes me think "Oh I wish I had another Marrow" when we finally finish it. And yet these vegetables were produced in huge numbers, the reasons why escaped me then.

Kale grows faster than we can eat it,

When we arrived in Galicia I noticed a similar phenomena, gardens have rows, and rows of tall walking stick cabbages, and a variety of turnip grown for the green leaves, and in summer lettuces, all grown in quantities that defy understanding. The thing is the more time I spend in the garden the more I begin to understand. The whole thing is addictive, the more you plant the more you want to plant, the limitations become about time and space, not the needs of the kitchen. I haven`'t even started on flowers yet. You grow things because you can, because it`s kind of like finding treasure when it works and when you can throw a couple of lettuces to the chickens rather than just the scraps you feel kind and generous and wealthy.

Lettuce A Galician necessity no idea what people do with the huge amount in their gardens

I did not plant these but I´m not complaining

Wish there was a bit more blue.

Because of this I am becoming a gardener, Its not really about knowledge or your methods (I will never be an expert) more a willingness to work at it even when the weather is bad, or I´m not feeling great.Maybe it`s just than spring is a time when I can be optimistic and enthusiastic because despite the cold and wet at the moment i am thinking it will be a good year in the Garden.