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This Cornus 'Venus' RHS Garden Wisley is wildly floriferous every year. I remember when there were just two Cornus kousa, our pride/joy, then both died of honey fungus, heartbreak, - the garden team have been planting groves of them ever since.

That's early, overwintered ones presumably, we tend to get migratory ones later, but far fewer than there used to be. Possibly different methods in E European cabbage fields where the lepidopteran horde originates.

Planted multiseeded leek modules through biodegradable mulch yesterday and now it's raining. Perfect. The woven polythene cover keeps off crows. They have in previous years pulled up every leek within hours - I don't know why. #allotment

Pumpkins & squash going out through biodegradable mulch, covered in case deer break in through the hefty fence. They bite out the growing tip and that is the end of any crop. #allotment

Exclusive: Labour will be making deep cuts to the nature friendly farming fund in the spending review, with many farmers unable to apply. Drastically changes concept of post brexit farming payments meant to improve nature on all farmland theguardian.com/environment/20…

Duncan Toms giving us a peek inside the tomato nursery 🍅 Vitalion Cherry on the vine with high natural sweetness, perfect for fresh salads or roasted up for breakfast. Grown right here in the UK, and now ripening beautifully for the shelves. #buybritish #britishtomatoes

Relay cropping; cauliflower 'Clapton' planted with plenty of water/fertiliser into crop of mini-lettuce 'Tom Thumb's currently being harvested. I only eat the lettuce heart, with lemon butter, the rest is discarded. #scrumptious #allotment

Spotted our first allotment oak processionary moth. Nothing to be done, we just keep an eye and avoid them. #allotment

Biocontrol in action!

Pumping out the polllen! In spite of rain storms cocksfoot and tall fescue grasses are releasing huge amounts of pollen this morning. A #hayfever sufferer’s nightmare?

Back home after a week away to find 15mm in the rain gauge and all my plants, watered/fed before departure, growing well. #WildWetWoollyyWelshWales # Barmouth

A few ‘hardy’ cacti in flower this week. Rebutia heliosa var. condorensis. This plant started my interest in hardy cacti when I saw a plant at an AGS show, Sulcorebutia tarobucoensis subsp. patriciae, Gymnocalcium andreae VS156 and Rebutia albopectinata FR758. #fairviewyearround

Leeks looking well today on a very humid day Agrii

loads and loads of aphids on a patch of nettles in the sun has engendered loads of ladybird larvae, voracious aphid eaters, now turning into pupae which will soon hatch into even more ladybirds, bravo

I have been producing herbs and alpine plants in West Wales for sale to Welsh garden centres. I have always tried to encourage others to do the same but although a few have given it a go over the years they have mostly quickly given up

Reckon the wool will add nitrogen and fend off root fly. Would have wool gathered in Wales last week but no room in car.

Root crops, if you fall behind in harvesting, they just get bigger, unlike lettuce, peas beans that can spoil. #thinnings #allotment

Peas, broad beans rushing to maturity in this heat. Excellent crops in dry as disease pressure low. Many pea moth caterpillars tho. June peas usually escape, later crops all edible podded picked young - what the eye doesn't see... #allotment