Summer Sunshine...

After several weeks of warm but wet weather, the past two days have been utterly gorgeous - long may it last! The damp conditions haven't been good for the marigolds, which now look a little 'mouldy', and the lobelias don't appear to have enjoyed it much either and despite slug pellets the snails have munched their way through about a quarter of them. The ones in planters on the wall seem to have done better than those in the borders.

However, the buddleias are on the verge of blooming which should bring the butterflies into the garden again with any luck. Haven't actually seen that many so far this year. The geraniums which managed to survive the winter are in flower, and add a splash of red to the garden. The Californian Poppies have been the start this summer, and will provide plenty of seeds to ensure a good display next summer.

The parsley has now gone to seed, the jasmine is no longer flowering and the birds have eaten all of my wild cherries, but the begonias which I was almost sure hadn't survived the winter are all looking very promising. Predictably, the ornamental poppies didn't last long.

My bee hotels remain devoid of guests, which is a concern as by now the tubes should be home to baby bees which will hatch out next spring. Hmm.... 

Autumn Sunshine...

After several decidedly damp days it was a treat to be outdoors in the sunshine today – long may it last! Blue skies and a bit of warmth on your face can do wonders to lift the spirits at this time of year.

The buddleias had been past their ‘best before’ dates for some time, so I figured now was the time to chop them back for the winter. There hasn’t been a single butterfly in the garden for the past couple of weeks now, and only the occasional bee.

Other than the wonderful wild-flower mix, the real starts of the show have been the begonias, which are still offering plenty of colour to an otherwise brown and soggy scene.

Sweeping wet leaves has been a chore, but needs must. The chives have now gone to seed, which I shall sprinkle in various corners of the borders in the hope of a few extra flowers next summer. The jasmine is sporting some juicy black berries, which I hope the birds will enjoy. Despite the fabulous sunshine there is the familiar nip in the air and I suspect it won’t be too much longer before the bad weather arrives…

OCTOBER 24, 2013 

Phew, Wot a Scorcher...

We appear to be in the middle of a ‘heat-wave’ and I, for one, don’t want it to end.

We’ve had such an awful time weather-wise that this blazing hot sunshine is just the tonic. I’m having to water the garden thoroughly every evening, but even the fact I’ve got a water meter isn’t making me wish for rain (yet!)

The wild flower mix continues to thrill me with new things every day and one of my begonias has finally decided to flower. Hopefully the others will follow. I remain disappointed with my white jasmine. By now it should be a mass of fragrant white flowers but it’s simply a whole load of greenery and about 3 actual blooms. The geraniums are very nearly flowering (bright red by the look of the buds) and I’ve now had to tie up the ornamental poppies so the seed heads can dry off.

The lobelias are making a nice display in the pots and the petunias, which I moved from the wall planters and subsequently wilted, are beginning to make a come-back. I’ve seen a few butterflies; cabbage whites, tortoiseshells and some brown hedgerow types, but nothing stays still long enough for me to take a photo. Hopefully that will change once the buddleia is in flower…

JULY 18, 2013

Global Warming? I Think Not!...

It’s Monday 11th March 2013 and a time of year you might expect to be enjoying crocuses, daffodils and the first rays of spring sunshine, however, this was the view that greeted me from my lounge window this morning. While I appreciate that other parts of the country are knee-deep in the white stuff, I’m not best pleased that yet again the average temperatures are struggling to reach zero and my small suburban garden is in dire need of thawing out for the umpteenth time in the past few months.

This summer had better be a good one!!!

MARCH 11, 2013 

The Calm Before The Storm?...

Much as I’m loving this Global Warming, I’m starting to wonder if this is simply the calm before the storm? Yes, it’s glorious to be outside in the sunshine on 19th November, and the sight of lobelias still in bloom gladdens the heart no end, but I fear that Mother Nature may have a sting in her tail. The jasmine thinks that spring is upon us once more, however, just one frosty night will put paid to those little pink buds. The geraniums are still going strong, but a few sub-zero temperatures will turn them into rotting mulch. On a positive note, the yellow chrysanthemums and winter flowering pansies are hardy enough to withstand a nasty chill, so all will not be lost when winter finally arrives….

NOVEMBER 20, 2011

September Sunshine...

When the nights are drawing in fast, and there’s a distinct nip in the air, occasionally you’ll get a day like today with glorious sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. Despite the fact that the lobelias look like they’ve seen better days, and there’s no ignoring the forsythia leaves dropping to the ground, it’s just nice to be able to sit outside for a while and soak up the last sunshine of what has been a rather unimpressive summer…

SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

Precious Petunias (and Lobelias)...

After many, many weeks of gloriously dry weather, everything in the garden looks a bit stunted – despite my valiant daily efforts with a watering can. Much as I adore sunshine I reluctantly accept that in order to have even a half-decent display of blooms you do need it to rain every now and again. We did have SOME rain, but the minute it hit the parched ground it evaporated!

My water butt remains empty and although I’m enjoying the fact I can get a full load of washing dry in just a few hours, the novelty of watering by hand has long since worn off…

JUNE 5, 2011