As I flipped over the calendar it was as if my garden had also flipped to early autumn overnight. The dew on the grass revealed where a cat had left a trail. I had just watched it walk delicately down the garden, stopping to shake the water off its paws at one point. The air was still and full of moisture and I kept walking into cobwebs as I headed down to the allotment. The annual produce sale for charity would be busy this year as the weather was looking promising – the first clear blue sky for a while.
I had not picked any runner beans for a few days, so there would be plenty for the sale and I knew that the Swiss chard was ready for another cutting. The climbing French beans haven’t been so happy with the low temperatures in the north west this summer and have stopped producing earlier than usual. Not enough of them to add to the table, so I tossed a couple of garlic bulbs into the basket instead. Looking around to see what else I could contribute, I spotted the dahlias that I have next to the shed at the top of the plot. Mine are in autumnal tones of burgundy, red and orange and they’re always popular, even if maybe they’re not as long stemmed and floriferous this year. I’d gone through them deadheading a few days before to promote fresh blooms but, if the sun doesn’t appear, there’s not much you can do to encourage them to flower. Originally from South America, no wonder they’re sulking in a cool south Manchester.
The trestle tables were out and ready to accept offerings from the plot holders. The smaller tables were also out and laid with table cloths ready for afternoon tea. I was helping to serve cakes, large and small, plain and highly decorated –‘Bake Off’ inspired and all very tempting. We were already serving teas as plot holders hurried to deliver their pickings. By the time the harvest was gathered on the table, a crowd had assembled to buy fruit and veg of all shapes, sizes and colours. Buckets of flowers included multicoloured dahlias, tall, spiky gladioli and petite, perfumed sweet peas. The honey produced by the bees kept in hives on the plot was sold in a flash. The marrows sat and waited for takers. Any produce left at the end of the day is distributed to local charities who feed the destitute and homeless.
Late in the afternoon, a young robin found a feast of cake crumbs on the ground. All that was left of another successful produce sale. I hope to be picking my dahlias and beans for a while, unless there’s an early frost. The season of plenty will go on giving for a while – I haven’t even started picking my autumn raspberries!
