Gooseberry fruit forming (19 April 2020). Photo by G.

Signs of crops to come abound on the plot.

Gooseberry, now safely ensconced in their netted new bed, are swelling nicely, promising what may be our first ever crop of berries. Or at least the first crop that we will have a chance to taste – last year that privilege went to the birds!

This picture shows the swelling new berries, with the faded flowers still sitting at the base of the new fruit, which makes the visual point: flowers means fruit!

Also coming along are the logan berry bushes on the border at the back of the damask rose.

Logan berry are strange growers and tend to set out long branches that set fruit (almost like a vine).

We tried to tidy these up last autumn and have added additional support and tying in this year to help encourage better fruiting.

Also showing swelling progress is the strawberry patch, whose flowers are now magically transformed from flower to small green swelling fruits.  Yum!