Green and country in the city notes 16 May

• The garden is now thankfully getting some rain. It is noticeable how few snails and slugs there are - presumably as the result of the dry spring. How long before showery days increase the populations?
• On Saturday I saw a magpie having a bath in the wildlife/cat water dish - such splashing!
• Saw a few sprays of elderflowers on Saturday. Today walking home from class saw several bushes with lots of flowers out. Got some lemons from Waitrose today and will get some white sugar tomorrow ready for a dry day when I can go and get some flower heads of elderflowers to make elderflower champagne.
• Saturday kayaking on the Lea Navigation towards Tottenham Lock. There was a heron on the towpath. A jogger approached. The heron just slowly walked out of the way.
• Occasionally disturbing frogs in the garden. There is at least one small one. Too big to be this year's, too small to be last year's. Presumably it is one from last year.
• Dorothy, my elderly neighbour (now in a home not knowing who I am) had a hanging basket outside her front door with a red geranium. In the last few years I had several goes at getting a cutting to root but luckily my last attempt succeeded. It was just had its first flower. Pleased to have this as a memento of a friend and neighbour for 20 years.
• On Saturday went with friends on the Epping-Ongar railway. This is the country not the city - but Tina and I got there by tube to Epping then vintage bus to North Weald (no suspension - thrown about when the bus went over a speed bump!).
• Both this morning and this evening a couple of foxes in my garden. This evening saw a fox on a fence 2 gardens away while the foxes were in my garden. The den in Dorothy's old garden now gone.

Gathered elderflowers just in time for elderflower syrup

When kayaking on Sunday there seemed to be plenty of elderflowers still. I was on the old River Lea, so perhaps those trees were more shaded and the blooms were later than those on higher ground.

This morning on a day off I cycled out after breakfast to the Hackney Marshes. Lots of the bushes had blooms that were already turning to berries. Others had also been after the blooms (there were paths trampled round the bottom of lots of the bushes) so on some bushes the sprays within reach had already been taken.

I had to cycle further than I thought I would, but I got a few blooms here, a few blooms there, and so got the 15 I needed.

The elderflower champagne I made a few weeks ago are showing no sign of "working" so might not be getting the fizz. I hope it is just being slow to get going.

Elderflowers and horse shit!

Despite the weather forecast it was luckily dry this morning so was able to pick 6 elderflower heads to make elderflower champagne. Someone else had obviously been picking them too, the grass had been trampled round the bush and most of those within easy reach taken.

There was also some horse dung on the path nearby, but a lot of joggers passing at that time so I felt too shy to start picking it up. A little further along I found some more and no one passing just then so I was able to start with two trowels shovelling into into a strong plastic bag. Strange, but once I've started I'm OK about being seen doing it!

I then did my usual circuit then started round again, stopped and picked the dung I'd missed earlier then took the path round the stable paddocks.

Elderflower champagne - use 4 pints hot water to dissolve 2 pounds of sugar, add 6 elderflower heads, juice of 2 lemons and 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar. I was supposed to use the rinds of the lemons as well but they weren't unwaxed so I couldn't.

Now I stir night and morning for 3 days before bottling in bottles with strong tops, leaving plenty of room, then leave for several weeks. It makes a lovely drink for summer.

Horse dung or horse shit? Can't make up my mind which expression to use!

Busy in the veg patch

Today I got from Homebase:
6 January King cabbage seedlings - cleared space between the leeks and the garlic and put them there.
6 african marigold plants - cleared space between beans (getting their first flowers) and the asparagus peas and put them there
beetroot seeds - scattered them amongst the garlic and lightly forked them in with a hand fork. I want them for salad greens. The african marigolds and the cabbages are in slug collars, the beetroot will be exposed!
Nasturtium seeds - some in front garden - but to flower they don't want good soil, so put in cracks in concrete by the back of the house.

I also transplanted one of the elderflowers from the flowerbed (having learnt they probably give up something that is toxic to other shrubs so not good for the countryman's hedge I was planning) into a large pot.

Transplanted 3 x one year old foxgloves into small pots for my friend Tina who I'll be seeing at the end of January, so hope they'll be nicely settled into their pots then.

Olympic(?) clearup removing wildlife cover

They have been clearing all the undergrowth along the towpath. In places very welcome as it will make it easier turning corners on the bike.

Not sure whether it is connected with the Olympics but they have also been clearing undergrowth along Orient Way and in places putting down turf. With this dry spring the turf has not taken well, and a lot is straw-coloured. They've been watering it, which makes me grimace when we could be very short of water this summer.

This morning on my bike ride I found they have started clearing the undergrowth between a foot/cycle path and Orient Way leaving just the young trees. 

All this is wildlife cover and also proving food for wildlife - pollen, nectar and berries.

Other matters:
Suddenly the elder is in flower! Must check my recipe for Elderflower champagne so I have all the ingredients ready for next week!

Came back from my cycle ride and found I had a slug on my shoe! I have enough in my garden without importing more!

We had some showers yesterday morning and overnight. Very welcome, but I checked the soil in the vegetable patch this morning and the damp is only on the surface. I'd like it dry on Tuesday as a handyman is mending the outside tap, but if it could rain for a while after that?