Much though I love fennel I have never thought of growing it before.  I tend to grow vegetables that I think will taste noticeably better if home grown and I wasn't sure that fennel could taste any better.  But this year the seed catalogues got the better of me and I have given it a try.  I haven't tasted it yet but it looks lovely.

The high tech machines that plastic wrap these post modern bales are pure genius.  They spin the bales around and stretch over the blue plastic in a matter of seconds.  Ands its all so that the cows can have rotting grass to feast on through the winter.

As part of the Guardian's creativity in the classroom series, poet John Hegley asked a child to describe the difference between a dog and a deckchair.  The response was,"Deckchairs don't fly", of course. I like that.

We have been receiving a steady stream of wonderful scarecrow photos, as you can see, and will be publishing a gallery shortly.  We have also received a scarecrow poem, which we thought you might enjoy...

We had a surprise visitor to our office this afternoon.  During the morning a pair of swallows flew in for a quick recky and flew out again, and then this afternoon this little fellow flew in but struggled to find his way out.  Its amazing to think that in a few months he will find his way to Africa and then next summer hopefully return here.  I'll make a note in my diary to see if he flies into the office again on the 19th May 2010!

I made a note in my diary that the early avola peas that I sowed 60 days ago should be ready now.  Some chance!  And I thought we had had a good start to the summer.  They are up and winding their way through the pea sticks, but not a flower in sight.  Maybe it has been just too dry.

Some years ago I put in raised beds and I'm very pleased I did.  Growing your own veg is so much more pleasurable when you feel on top of things and raised beds do that.  They make weeding and crop rotation easier and generally make you feel like you're winning.

The only downside I can think of is that they are head height for the rabbits, and act rather like a buffet!

This spring I have germinated all my seeds in a mixture of coir compost and peat free multi-purpose compost.  The mixture is coarser than classic seed compost, but this doesn't seem to have held back the seeds.

In a few days I will pop the coir pots into ground and cover them if a frost seems likely.  I will keep a few back in the cold frame though just in case I get caught out!

At long last the government has woken up to the dramatic fall in bee numbers and the devastating effect this could have on crops.  Too little too late, but £10 million to research the decline in bees is better than nothing.

So while we're waiting for the results of this research, its important we do all we can to provide nesting, shelter and food for as many bees as possible.  Bumblebee nests are a good option, but its just as important to leave well alone all the potential nesting sites like cracked wood and concrete that you might otherwise want to tidy up.

I can see why the Japanese love their blossom.  Just as the plum and peach are fading, in comes the pear.  And the cherry and apple are just itching to get going too.  Even though it happens every year, it never fails to bowl me over.

Its a reminder that summer is just around the corner. Time to dust off those deckchairs!

I have to take my hat off to those guys at River Cottage.  A couple of years ago I went on their Build and Bake course and it inspired me to build my own wood fired oven in the garden.  Making it was great fun.  All the kids got involved at different stages and they love cooking in it now.  This Sunday was flat breads and roast chicken, cooked exactly as it shows with the door open.  Simple and absolutely delicious. 

Good luck to the Grofun guys who want to build one.