Scalefour Forum

( Sorry for the grainy photos, I really must remember to carry a decent camera to group workshop meetings. So these shot on my iPod, which struggles. I'll do better ones another day ).

One of the earlier posts shows the crossing keeper's cottage sitting on a bare patch of earth. The crossing keeper is a keen gardener, growing produce means not having to purchase food on the meagre pay.

There are lettuce, some cabbages which are just starting to grow (for harvest in winter), broad bean, the runner beans are starting to climb the frame. Onions look healthy, as does the rhubarb in the corner. Raspberries are doing well, though the blackcurrant bush looks like a poor crop this year. The first of the new potatoes have been lifted, though more to come. The main crop potatoes are doing fine.








At the front, the delphiniums and roses are in bloom. (And a few other things not visible from that camera angle).

Bit different to the gardening I was doing today. Planting a 6ft high camelia and starting to remove a bird of paradise which has been against the house longer than we have lived here (15 years). Managed to break off only a third... But tomorrow it is back to painting no 1 son's room

Modelling what is that?

I've just scanned some old colour print film from the 70s, gave a similar feel to your pictures Nigel!

The damp patches of recently turned Earth near the potatoes and under the tree, together with the greenery on top of the compost bin suggests someone has done some weeding just before the pictures where taken.

A rather better picture, taken the same day as mine by Don Gilliland

Its good to see a garden well modelled by someone who knows about veggies and seasons getting it all right.
Exhibitions sometimes have beautifully modelled veg plots with simultaneous Spring and Autumn cropping plants!

Paul Townsend wrote:Its good to see a garden well modelled by someone who knows about veggies and seasons getting it all right.
Exhibitions sometimes have beautifully modelled veg plots with simultaneous Spring and Autumn cropping plants!

At least two of the group are long-term veg gardeners, and there is a large plot of domestic veg and fruit outside the shed where we keep the layout. So no shortage of reference material. That helps no end ! Apart from a few modern varieties, and two to three week shift in seasons due to warmer winters, techniques and timings won't have changed much in 60 years.

The crossing keepers garden is modelled by John Watson, who has, as they say, "got some previous" in this area. Here's the garden that he modelled on his P4 Mid Suffolk layout, Kenton:

A rather splendid looking layout, Nigel.

Simon