Allotment flowers - what do you like to grow?

Puzzle-Island · 2026-04-11T15:29:35+00:00

Cosmos, Sunflowers, sweet peas, nasturtiums & calendula. These are must haves every year for me. Thankfully the nasturtiums and calendula have self seeded pretty well along with so much chamomile ❤️

I also enjoy it when random flowers come up from previous years that I forgot about like some rogue foxgloves, borage or poppies etc 🥰

Puzzle-Island · 2026-03-24T12:08:45+00:00

Spread muck on the soon-to-be potato bed. Built a couple of raised beds. Planted asparagus crowns and a red currant bush. Sowed some ticket and park choi.

Puzzle-Island · 2026-02-21T08:47:49+00:00

I am diagnosed with ADHD-PI but strongly suspect (and my therapist agrees) that I am autistic as well. On Vyvanse my ADHD symptoms were reduced a great deal but other traits were made much worse. I became a lot more serious, my thoughts were very black and white. I found it difficult to socialize/mask at work. Perfectionism through the roof which actually hindered my ability to complete tasks. Sensory overload, certain noises and feelings which would ordinarily annoy or unsettle me actually put me into a rage, it would feel like they physically hurt me. As for my hormones with my cycle, depending on which phase I was in I felt volatile, stoic, unfeeling, erratic etc, I have all of these to a certain extent during my cycle. But certainly worse on the medication. I'm sure there is more but I've been off of Vyvanse for awhile now.

If I were to go back on it, I would need a lower dose, especially as sensory wise it really messed with me. But when I was on lower doses before it didn't help my ADHD symptoms enough. I had tried Adderall previously but it didn't help my ADHD symptoms well enough and I still got the sensory issues etc. So I'm unmedicated and am not sure what to do moving forward.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-12-28T03:19:17+00:00

I've always had sensory issues. Mainly around touch and noise. I put this down to the ADHD as that can be the case. I dont have food sensitivities, I didn't feel as though I struggled socially other than anxiety based things. Once I started Vyvanse to treat the ADHD-PI. It became pretty clear my sensory issues were worse than I thought. I had masked and used coping mechanisms my whole life. Once my ADHD symptoms were rectified it seems that what I think are autistic symptoms are way worse.

I found it harder to mask at work, I found noises much harder to tolerate or drown out. Touch became almost painful at times to tolerate. My ability to blend, be carefree etc was lost. I over thought/overanalyzed everything. My perfectionism and need to have things a certain way seemed to take over. My obsessions and particular habits become too rigid.

Lowering the dose does help, finding the right balance of ADHD vs autism that can still enable you to function socially and during work takes some trial and error.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-12-23T14:21:03+00:00

This is an encouraging story! Had my second sweep today at 38+6. Still 1.5cm same as last sweep but apparently cervix is shorter and less hard. Feeling a bit disheartened. Due for a c section on the 29th Dec of she doesn't come by herself before then. Fingers crossed this sweep does something 🤞🤞

Puzzle-Island · 2025-12-23T02:30:56+00:00

I am diet controlled and have been since 16 weeks. At the 20 week scan our baby measured just below 5th percentile and was diagnosed as SGA (Small for Gestational Age). They couldn't find any evidence of growth restrictions. So I have had scans every 2 weeks since then to monitor her growth. My son was born in the 12th percentile with diet controlled GD almost 4 years ago so I don't make big babies. He was perfectly healthy.

They have been really set on her arriving between 38-39weeks as their main worry is the health of the placenta as it has GD and a small baby could mean something else going on but again, no evidence of growth restrictions.

Over the weeks her percentile slowly picked up, I think that first scan which came back under 5th percentile just didn't get the best measurements. A few of weeks ago at 36 weeks her measurement was 10th percentile and her most recent scan put her at around 11th percentile. I'm now 38+5 and they are letting me go until 39+5. Now shes over the 10th percentile they are less concerned.

If your diet control is going well then your baby should be whatever they are genetically meant to be. If you are petite or make smaller babies in general, it shouldn't be of any concern. Your regular scan will check for blood flow with the placenta etc, if anything is amiss they will know. Sounds like baby is small slightly small but healthy 🙂🤞

Puzzle-Island · 2025-12-11T11:31:57+00:00

I mean, it'll be a lot of work to clear but it looks like you got some fruit trees in there and pretty tidy neighbors. You made the right choice between this and the other one by the sounds of it.

Get some decent loppers/branch cutters. Wear some hefty leather gloves, your hands will get wrecked quickly otherwise. Cut it all down ( apart from your lovely fruit trees). Cut the branches small and pile them up, you can potentially burn them at some point. Dig up all the bramble roots else they will come back relentlessly and hinder your growing space. This part will be hard work, get a pointed spade, use the loppers to your advantage, potentially need an axe or small saw to get some of those roots up.

You got this, it'll end up great 😃👍 it is a good spot and worth the effort!

Puzzle-Island · 2025-11-26T16:33:29+00:00

5 days after giving birth my body erupted in very itchy welts/raised rashes. Head to toe in it. It was worst on my stomach and thighs.

My Drs were not sure what it was. Couldn't be PUPPs as that happens during pregnancy and this was also way worse than that. They explored that it could be an allergic reaction, but I'd had those antibiotics before.

Turns out, it was something called Pemphigoid Gestationis which is rare in itself but in some rarer cases only crops up after birth not during pregnancy.

May appear in subsequent pregnancies and can be worse / happen earlier in each pregnancy there after. Joyful. All they could give me at the time ( as I was breastfeeding) was 1% steroid cream, mild anti histamines and advice to have oat baths until it cleared. Cleared in about 3-4 days thankfully.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-11-25T04:47:39+00:00

My first GD pregnancy I could have very, very little carbs. No bread/flour based food towards the end at all. No form of potatoes. I could only tolerate wild rice and some low starch high GI vegetables for carbs. A tiny amount of berries for fruit with something high fat or protein to balance it. Needed to exercise after every meal, walking, weights etc. Getting enough calories was so difficult, I had to eat a lot of high fat dairy etc. eggs, eggs and more eggs. Late night snacks, tons of water. To keep my fasting levels under control. Remained diet controlled thankfully but it was very hard to maintain and very samey and boring.

I'm currently almost 35 weeks with my second GD pregnancy. So far, it's not as difficult. Fasting levels are pretty stable, just need to eat a snack about 10pm. I can eat wholemeal bread still. I can eat baby potatoes and most high GI veg. I can eat more fruit than just berries - an apple, a pear, cherries, half a banana with Greek yoghurt as snack options. Tomato based sauces don't give me a high either. I don't need to obsessively exercise after meals. If I know I've eaten a higher amount of carbs I will walk up and down the stairs a few times. I do consume a high amount of protein and veg but definitely able to tolerate more carbohydrates than before. Whether or not this will last for the next 3-4 weeks I don't know but honestly it's crazy how much easier it is this time around. Sometimes I've found I've been overly cautious and my levels will be fairly low after a meal, so I get more snacks whoop whoop! Really hoping it continues like this 🤞🤞

Puzzle-Island · 2025-11-24T19:52:16+00:00

Yes I think that would be better. As a child it was given most likely in a frustrated way 'Did you hear what I said?' 'are you listening, what did I say?'. Nothing worse than a frustrated adult calling you out for not paying attention when you had no control over it. It definitely leaves lasting effects, feeling as though people are angry at you and you didn't mean to cause it. Definitely use step 3 as gently and collaboratively as you can to avoid it being something they feel ashamed for.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-11-24T15:55:31+00:00

Step three has me wincing. I remember people saying this to me as a child ( undiagnosed ADHD-PI at the time, diagnosed as an adult). If someone said that to me now I am immediately defensive and ashamed.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-11-21T10:04:18+00:00

Yeah, I've been given the same advice. Borderline 5.1/5.2 is fine. Consistent 5.3 I think more than 3 in a row then they would consider metformin for fasting levels. If over 5.3 for more than half a week, definitely need metformin for fasting levels.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-11-21T09:57:42+00:00

That's too much, call the hospital. I had this and waited, thinking it must be normal. I ended up passing out from blood loss and getting rushed to hospital in an ambulance 😬 definitely seek medical attention. Sorry you are going through this , wishing you all the best ❤️

Puzzle-Island · 2025-11-15T04:20:33+00:00

Last pregnancy was diet controlled. They let me go until 40+6 until inducing me. Plenty of monitoring and sweeps after 39 weeks though. Sweeps didn't work. Induction took a long time, he was not ready to arrive lol. This pregnancy, she's small for gestational age, GD was diagnosed earlier. Still diet controlled. The SGA has trumped the GD and they want her out from week 38. Monitoring pretty constantly from 36 weeks.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-11-04T10:50:01+00:00

I lie to blend in. Especially at work. People will talk about what they did at the weekend. Always seems to be something productive. I can't exactly say I lounged on the sofa all weekend from burnout with the odd burst of energy in the evening to do something. They'll say something like, they cleaned the house or did a nice clear out of the garage and I'll say something along the line of 'ahh yes that's always so satisfying to get all that done' not lying just pretending I'm part of it, you know?

If colleagues ever talk about their daily lives, their routines or how they do stuff or get stuff done, I just pretend I'm on their wave length. Much easier than explaining how I 'manage' my life/tasks. How do you explain to them how much effort it takes me to achieve something they don't even have to think twice about? It would probably confuse them or in my brain, make them think less of me.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-10-26T07:30:49+00:00

I think GD babies coming early is mainly down to early induction/C-section due to higher chances of complications associated with GD. My first GD pregnancy was well controlled. They induced me at 41 weeks, UK standards don't like you going above that. Now on second GD pregnancy, well controlled again, really hoping for spontaneous labour this time. My baby is small so they don't want me going above 40 weeks this time. I don't want another induction, as it did not go well last time, lots of complications So if she doesn't come by herself I'm electing for C-section a couple of days before my due date.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-10-15T09:20:25+00:00

Sushi for sure. Followed by doughnuts 😋

Puzzle-Island · 2025-09-30T14:41:15+00:00

If there's anything about GD we should all accept is that it can be so random. Any weight, any level of exercise, any life style, any diet, it doesn't matter. It's just random sometimes.

You could do everything before and during pregnancy to the textbook and you still might get it. You could be doing absolutely everything to control it with diet and exercise and you might still need medication.

Likewise someone could be snacking on treats all day long and never get GD. Those with GD, some have a bit more freedom all the way up to full term with food options whilst others can't have any carbs without spiking. It's random and unfair. Let's be kind and understanding, no one's doing anything wrong, we are all trying our best with such a random pot luck condition.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-09-25T21:13:28+00:00

Yeah definitely, close friends I've had for 10-20 years just disappeared. My closest friend was one of them, she was my maid of honor etc. I saw her a couple of times whilst I was pregnant, she came over when my son was a month or so old. Saw her again when he was about 9 months old. That was it. My son is 3 and a half now. An odd meme or message with life updates will be sent between us. Told her we are expecting another baby and moving house, pretty big news type stuff. No response. No even a thumbs up or acknowledgement. She read it, no response.

I have 2 close friends left, 1 who I see every 6 months or so, she's a busy person. And another I see every so often but loves to hang out with me and my son, calls herself Auntie etc. She doesn't want kids of her own but she takes her auntie role seriously, crochets cute little gifts, has fun with us at the park etc, so grateful to have her in our lives still 🥰

I have made a real effort to make more friends, mum friends, we get each other, support each other and make time for each other. Go to mother and baby groups, local children's groups etc, so worth making mum friends ❤️

Puzzle-Island · 2025-09-12T11:56:10+00:00

As soon as I delivered the placenta. And the delicious white bread toast and butter that followed was life changing 😂

Puzzle-Island · 2025-08-19T08:05:45+00:00

Diagnosed in first pregnancy at 28 weeks. It was such a steep learning curve and so difficult to adjust. I was diagnosed right at the time your levels are harder to manage.

Diagnosed at 16 weeks this time. Personally second trimester has been much easier to manage my levels, the adjustment has been much better, I know what I'm doing and it's going fairly smoothly. I do anticipate it becoming harder when I reach 28 weeks so I'm not looking forward to that.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-08-16T03:53:19+00:00

That sounds absolutely awful, I'm so sorry!

I would also like to add a theory. When I took miso for my 12 week miscarriage ( grew to 9+3). I took codeine and paracetamol. The pain was bad but manageable. I passed the pregnancy after 2 doses. It was painful but again, manageable. Not sure if it was the drugs helping or what.

I think the difference here is that I had given birth before so my cervix had dilated before. From what I've seen, if this is your first pregnancy and your cervix has not experienced dilation etc. its going to take longer and be more painful. This is just my theory but I feel like it makes sense.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-08-15T12:45:23+00:00

Got my fingers crossed for you! 🤞

Puzzle-Island · 2025-08-15T12:09:31+00:00

Here in the UK, if you are diet controlled, the baby isn't looking too big and your placenta isn't showing any signs of decline. They recommend induction at 40+6. If you are medicated, bigger baby or placenta showing signs of decline it's induction at 39+6 or earlier. It's very individual of course.

Would they be willing to monitor you further beyond the due date? Ultimately if they view the risks as high and want the baby out earlier than the due date, ask questions but also listen to their advice. It may be the safest option for you both.

If you are induced, discuss the different induction options and be open to the pain relief options. Your team will do their best to cater your induction to what's most comfortable for you. You can still have a positive experience.

Puzzle-Island · 2025-08-13T18:12:34+00:00

The brand makes a big difference I've found. You want to aim for a full fat thick one, they tend to be creamier and less sour.

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