It's been raining lovely gardener's rain. It's the first rain we've had this month. Unusually dry, so far, this spring. And also on the warm side. The seeds are germinating quite well in the propagating tents. The peas and broad beans are coming along well now, too. They're all netted to stop the pigeons eating the young plants and the cats digging up the seed beds! This does not stop the blackbirds getting underneath the net to eat the porridge oats and worms and insects!

We've had our first harvest from the orchard. We found some rhubarb plants underneath the old tree trunk when we moved it the other week. They are now coming along in leaps and bounds and we pulled the first sticks on Sunday. They stewed up beautifully. So exciting to have a crop! Plus the herbs are now coming back good and strong. I have oregano, marjoram and mint ready for picking. The sage has been looking a bit sickly, but I think it was thirsty. We watered it on Sunday, plus it's been raining since so it may perk up.

I've had a delivery of 84 lavender plants!!!! I ordered what I thought was two or three seedlings and received a box with 84 plugs! There are now 82 of them potted up into seed pots. Not sure quite what I'm going to do if they all survive! I am also about to plant seeds of cape gooseberries and two sorts of yellow capsicum to grow in the greenhouse. I might put a couple in the garden and a couple under cloches as well and see what happens.