Where Are The Chagos Islands Anyway? **

I first learned the term CHAOS from Martha Cilley, aka the FlyLady, about 25 years ago. She is a 'home organiser' with a million ideas and plans to help you avoid living in CHAOS, which stands for Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome [because your house is an embarrassing mess]
Well this week, I realised there is an extra complication - some of us maybe living in CHAGOS, which stands for Can't Have Any GARDENERS Over Syndrome

There have been odd goings on in the Cornerstones patch. I take full responsibility, I was too preoccupied with the kitchen work, and the sewing machine, and the Half Term Family Time.

There are Egyptian Walking Onions everywhere - in the small green trough where Rosie and I first planted them two years ago. But also in the adjacent flower bed. And the small onion which I replanted in the second, smaller raised bed last year, has spread a lot - and almost planted a shoot in the grass under the apple tree...I probably should have been more diligent - but those little onions are useful to cook in place of shallots, or to chop finely for a garnish atop a salad or soup - and the green shoots are very chive-y.

Last Thursday we were at the Parish Church Coffee, Cake and Chat group. A lady suddenly said "There are plants growing on the outside of the church. I think they are snapdragons. Is that a flower? have I said the right word?" We assured her that indeed snapdragons were a flower. On our way out, Bob and I checked - and yes there were indeed snapdragons [aka antirrhinums, or toadflax] which had taken root in the soft mortar above the church door.  The next day I noticed that there were butter-yellow snapdragons in my garden - in the main raised bed, nestling between the lettuce and beans, and in the smaller RB, close to the bamboo-cane-pyramid.

Where could they have come from? [the Parish Church? Is this a novel form of 'church planting'?] 
They are pretty flowers so I am allowing them to stay...

But the worst thing? My pyramid has hardly any sign of runner beans growing around and upwards. There are a few small plants with the right sort of leaves. [I dug out that dandelion in the middle] However, row 10 of the big raised bed is full of these scrambling shoots with beautiful scarlet flowers. 

These are definitely runner beans. But did I plant them all in the wrong place- this was supposed to be Dwarf French Beans. Have I have muddled up two seed packets? My friend Cathy who also volunteers at the Hospital [I am a Visitor, she is a Gardener] came round for a cuppa. 

She was very kind, and said such mistakes are easily made. I have stuck lots of spare canes in Row 10 to give these beans some vertical support. Cathy advised me on dealing with blackfly on the broad beans and was fascinated by the EWOs. I broke off a shoot and gave it to her- with a dire warning about their spreading potential.

So what with walking Egyptians, invading snapdragons, and not-where-they-should-have-beans, my garden is a little bit confused this summer. Definitely CHAGOS. If Monty Don, Alan Titchmarsh or Sue Kent turn up, I shall skilfully guide them away from the chaos of the garden, and distract them with a tour of the new kitchen [still impeccably tidy!] 

**Nearly 6000 miles away, in the Indian Ocean, between Sri Lanka and Mauritius [see here]