May in the Garden

The Untamed Gardener

Aisling Blackburn

It was about two weeks ago when the sound surprised me, the first cuckoo. And well before that, the rat-a-tat hammering of another rowdy colonist, the great spotted woodpecker also caught me off guard. There is nothing like that familiar sound heralding the spring, yet I had completely forgotten all about it. Until, oh, there it goes again, and my ears were grateful for it. The cuckoo is a visiting bird that lays its eggs on the ground, in the nest of the meadow pipit, this parasitic behaviour though despicable, on one level, does in reality, mean the survival of a vulnerable species due to the existence of a wetland. Although there is a move to preserve our wetlands, it is a hard sell in our already saturated countryside.

Dandelions, that up until recently nodded cheerfully around the garden have already gone to seed. They will be missed by the bumble bee, but the Bullfinch will be after the seedheads in no time at all. I don’t know how they manage to do it, balancing on the tall stems and stuffing their beaks with seeds. They arrive each year and do the exact same thing, while I anxiously watch from my kitchen window, still as a statue, for fear that I may disturb them. I notice that for now the woodpecker seems to be quietly going about their business, still the cuckoo sings. Everything is happening at great pace, and in succession. Seedlings are jumping out of their pots, eager to get into the ground and if you have spent the last couple of months preparing the beds, then you have nothing to worry about.

Just for a moment, let’s consider the humble dandelion for whose name we may thank the French. Dent-de-Lion, tooth of a lion describes the outline of the leaves. Also commonly referred to as Piss-en-lit or, a bit rudely, ‘piss the bed’. This is a reference to the diuretic quality of the plant. In fact, each part has a medicinal or culinary effect. The flowers have been used to make wine. The leaves blanched in salads, otherwise they are quite bitter, or for use in tea as a liver tonic. The roots washed, dried and roasted make a delicious coffee, which adds valuable minerals to the diet with none of the caffeine of ordinary coffee. The stem and indeed other parts contain a white latex that has been used to cure warts. I have eaten the leaves and made the coffee myself. But it’s the activity of the birds and bees on the flower heads that make me love them so much.

In the glasshouse of the community garden there are varieties of leeks, mangetout peas, kale, lettuce, spring onions tomatoes, squash and chard.

There are herbs like coriander, basil, parsley, dill and thyme. I heartily recommend Moldavian dragon herb, Dracocephalum moldavica for it’s very uplifting affect. I believe that some people shun coriander, but only because it really tastes like soap to them. To me, it’s a very tasty and useful herb.

Flowers such as, sunflowers, Ammi, rudbeckia are nearing the planting stage while Chinese asters are very shy at germinating this year for some reason. It’s trying when seeds don’t germinate, the season is so short and starting again is seldom an option. There are a few unusual vegetables too.

For instance, red and green Amaranth, which we grow as a cut flower and Oca, a tuber from South America, just like the potato in many ways. Lots more plants a-growing outside including potatoes, onions, and the garlic planted back in November and broad beans, two varieties.

As it is only May, there is still much to sow. Runner beans and all the salad vegetables like mizuna, rocket and pakchoi. Dahlias need potting up, and so on.

It doesn’t have to be this complicated. It’s great fun growing all this stuff if you are a member of a community garden when the watering, weeding and harvesting can be shared among a few. There is also the bonus of the social side of gardening together and having the cup of tea.

Many community gardens around the county welcome new members, or you could start your own one!

Still, some gardeners are happy with taking care of a single tomato plant and a few salad leaves.

I am hopeful for a good growing season but as we all know, that is in lap of the Gods.

Aisling Blackburn is a visual artist and horticulturalist who nurtures the community garden at Jampa Ling in Bawnboy.