Wash day - Friday!

Summer seems to have arrived so I have a line of washing out and three washable doormats in the washing machine - all by 8.30am. Benches teak oiled by Marlon earlier in the week and all the Tumbling Tom tomato plants in hanging baskets and troughs. Phew!

Summer on the way in the garden

The rear garden is getting onto shape! Marlon came over yesterday to teak oil the benches. One is 15 years old, the other seven - the first a gift from colleagues at Redbridge Magistrates' Court with table, the other from North East London Mental Health Trust. Teak oil every year keeps them in good shape. I am pleased that the three Acers have survived the winter and are looking good.

Columbia Road Flower Market

Early morning to London today to meet with my Norwegian daughter-in-law, her sister and niece at Columbia Road Flower Market. They have been here for four days on a shopping and sight-seeing spree! Here are just a few shots - a great place. I bought a Cat Mint - see last photograph. Socks went mental when I arrived home - so I have had to lock it away in the greenhouse. I must take some cuttings!

Work morning in the Dick Turpin Orchard

Work morning at the Dick Turpin Orchard here in sunny Aldborough Hatch. Four members of the Aldborough Hatch Defence Association plus a photographer spent the morning mulching round the fruit trees and bushes. The thistle had grown to alarming height in the recent rain and sunshine. Earlier Jenny had filled two plastic sacks with rubbish dumped – and we cleared this at the end of March during the clean-up. Clearly the patrons of the Miller & Carter Restaurant need to be taught a few lessons about keeping Britain Tidy!

Chris attached name plates to some of the 100-year-old fruit trees identified by their DNA by the Orchard Project. Both the old trees and the new ones planted last year are looking in good shape with lots of blossom, some turning to fruit already. We look forward to a good harvest later this year.

Kew

Yesterday I spent at Kew Gardens - a perfect spring day with warm sunshine and green everywhere. Travel is easy - on the London Overground from Stratford, itself a pleasant ride through Hackney Wick, Islington and Action. One day I will get off at a few of these stations and explore. I love the talk from the station at Kew - through a side street with some really grand houses.

The restored Temperate House was open for the first time this week after five years of renovation - which are yet to be finished outside. It was not too warm - being temperate. I climbed to the roof for a splendid view. The hothouse was just too hot - but the water lily house was good. 

I bought two plants for the garden - and must go out plant them now that the sun is shining again after the light rain in the night.

A great day!

Today I have been to Kew Gardens. Just two photographs for the moment - more will follow. The first was spotted on a station on the London Overground Line between Stratford and Kew - I believe on South Acton Station. Someone bothered to brighten up a dreary station in North London. Well done!

The second was at Kew when the Temperate House has been renovated over five years and reopened this week. Work continues in the grounds outside - but it is simply magnificent and being temperate is not too hot. I stayed for an hour, climbing the spiral staircase and walking round the top.

A wonderful day out.

A sunny Sunday

This sunny Sunday I decided to take a day in London. First to St. Paul's Cathedral for Choral Matins then to Sung Eucharist. Two excellent sermons - the first by Canon Michael Hempel on the theme of forgiveness, with reference to the political upheaval of the past few days and the need to ignore the unhelpful comments of the gutter press (Canon Hempel was pleased to hear that I am a GUARDIAN reader as we shook hands at the North Transept!).

A light lunch at Paul then the number 15 bus to Tower Hill. This bus has a conductor - today I was the only passenger. A hour wait at Tower Pier, but there as plenty to watch as Tower Bridge opened to let a large ship pass. On the Greenwich, a walk atoned the market then the Docklands Light Railway to Stratford - and from Canary Wharf I had a front seat and played at being the driver!

A very warm but pleasant day. No coat and short sleeved shirt. I left home at 8.30am and wads backlights just before five. A good day.