31st July 2016

Dear All,

We have greatly enjoyed entertaining Mary-Ann, Amélie and Albert until Friday, Andy having flown to Dublin on Sunday. They have visited St Ives, Milton Country Park and Ely but seemed to enjoy feeding the ducks in the river, helping harvest vegetables and playing on the Green just as much.  Amélie is quite tall for her age and Albert good natured and blessed with a healthy appetite.

Duck feeding at Overcote

Amélie & Ely Cathedral

Bert watching duck feeding

Ely Maltings

Unfortunately I had to be out two days on RHS business. It was Wisley on Monday judging 42 beetroot entries and checking progress of Sweet Corn and Sweet Pepper trials. On Wednesday it was judging the summer cabbage at Spalding, this time with the Panel. As I am chairman this year I could not back out. The journeys to both venues were not too bad – school holidays make a lot of difference and Wisley have some attractive ornamental trials in the same field this year including Agapanthus and Zantedeschia (coloured arum lilies).

Wisley Beetroot trial

Wisley New Varieties trial

I travelled down with Colin Randal from Thompson & Morgan Seeds and he needed to call in on Tozers Seeds at Cobham after to pick up some of their new kale plants for their press open day.

Vegetables have benefited from the wet June so we are harvesting runner beans, French beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and courgettes a plenty and this week pulled the spring planted onions.

Both cricket teams won yesterday – a rare occurrence this year!

Love

Mike & Kate