Garden update April/May

We've been planting new things. I've been growing stuff from seed. The last couple of weeks of heavy rain then sunshine has meant everything is going crazy.

Cut and come again salad leaves outside my kitchen back door. Even when it's dark, it is easy to nip out with a pair of scissors and make a quick salad.

Our jicama experiment is on going. They are a mix between a vine and a squash.

My friend the robin. Always comes out for a snack when I'm gardening.

 The very definition of pot-bound. It's actually burst the terracotta pot.

Finally my first fucking gooseberry. Had these bushes in for 3 years and not a sausage. Up to now. Gooseberry curd on it's way.

 Figs do not like being moved. Repeat: figs do not like being moved. Finally a decent sized fig on its way. But you can even use small unripe green figs. Simmer them with sugar and water to make a gorgeous figgy syrup.

 Elderflower suddenly blossomed. Time to make fritters, cheesecake, champagne and cordial.

 A few wild foxgloves. I like my garden to be an organic mix of wild and structured, decorative and useful.

 Zia Mays putting in some of my tomatoes grown from seed. She got this idea from the Chelsea Flower Show: three canes and garden twine.

 Wallflowers are such a good deal in the garden. Three years of non stop colour.

 Rose and allium with perennial Jerusalem artichokes. They'll be ready in Winter.

I've grown so many tomatoes, they are now everywhere but you can never have too many. This beautiful pot is next to my Big Green Egg BBQ. A 'pot to grill' plant.

My next supper club date is 21st June:

3rd Annual Swedish Midsummer Supper Club

Come to my Swedish midsummer supper club with Linn Soderstrom. This time we will also have Swedish chef Marian Ringborg, who is currently working at Skye Gingell's restaurant Spring. 
This is the third year running we have hosted this. If it's nice it'll be in the garden. We will probably construct a birch Maypole. 
Look: Wear flower crowns or Viking gear if you feel like it.
Food: home cured/smoked salmon, different kinds of herring, Swedish cheeses, berries, crisp breads. Some bbqed food. Strawberry cake. Salty liquorice. Aquavit. Blaabar. All kinds of Scandi yumminess. 
Tickets: £50 (I'm flying chefs over from Sweden).
BYO.
Date: June 21st.
Time: 7.30pm
Where: my place in Kilburn, The Underground Restaurant.
Book at this link: http://www.edibleexperiences.com/p/69/The-Underground-Restaurant/1450001/3rd-annual-Swedish-midsummers-night-meal