Looking towards autumn...

...the last of summer is fast fading...

It is the 1 September tomorrow.  Summer will officially be over.

How I look forward to summer each year...what a damp squib of a summer it has been this year!

...BUT...

Home grown potatoes

...in spite of the rain, it has worked out all right, more or less.

This is the time of year when we start to harvest various crops we have been watching and tending all summer.

Apples...not quite ready although my non-gardening neighbour gave me a huge bag of apples he'd prematurely picked from his tree this week.  Bless him.   He wanted to get them before the birds, but his tree is always laden there is enough for the birds too...if only he would leave them a couple of weeks longer.  No...I am not going to mention it, it would seem ungrateful!

Neighbour's apples

Now, here is how you tell a ripe apple.   If you cut one open and the pips are still white it is unripe.   So leave the rest on the tree for another 2 to 3 weeks.  When the pips turn brown/black they are ripe.

Anyway, I believe I have a chance of ripening these apples even though thy are picked too early.  I should store them in a closed paper bag.  The apples will continue to respire while in the bag, producing ethylene gas , which will promote ripening.  They probably won't taste as good as those left to ripen on the tree but should be good for sauces and pies.

Other fruits that are ripening now in my garden are tomatoes, courgettes, autumn rhubarb, cucumber ...just one so far...

There is nothing like a home grown tomato for full flavour.  You will never be satisfied with a shop bought one again.  This Gardeners' Delight seems to be a pretty successful variety to grow here.   They only get to be cherry size but they are bountiful and delicious.  I have the Zebra stripy ones ripening too, much more slowly.  The birds do get a few but not many.   It is the family of blackbirds living in the garden, and I don't begrudge them as I think they do help with the hoards of slugs and snails.  It has been the year of the slimy slug and snail.

Home grown lunch salad

This weekend is the August Bank Holiday Weekend.   This means there are lots of promotions on at the garden centres and lots of bargains to be had.  I picked up two perennial rudbekias for a £1 each.  I intend to sort out the bed/border right in front of the patio as it has become rather overcrowded and muddled.  I removed a couple of big red poppies and replaced with Helenium and Salvia.

Helenium

Salvia

I chose the yellow variety of Helenium and the deep purple Salvia, both grow to a height of about 90 centimetres.

The perennial Rudbekia is about 60 centimetres and it is also yellow with rusty centre.   It should be lovely this time next year as should the delphiniums I have grown from seed, Pacific Giants, they will easily top 2 metres in height next year...if the slugs don't get them in the spring.

Young delphinium,
not yet giant size!

All these plants attract bees and pollinators.   I have had an abundance of bees and pollinators in the garden this year.   It has been lovely.

A couple of posts ago I told you of the death of my lawn mower.

Well, the sequel to the story is that I have been borrowing G & D's super-light Bosch Mower.  But this weekend I had friends staying and since I do a bit of freelance work for S without charge he often rewards me in kind rather than £ - the arrangement suits me as I have no intention of charging my friends anything for anything...what I do for you I do for fun and my gratification - so it is with the research and writing I do for S.  However, who am I to turn my nose up at a lovely brand new mower when it is presented to me as 'payment'!  Thank you so much.

Qualcast super light-weight rotary mower.

It was my intention to have a meadow instead of short grass...I hesitate to call it lawn.   But this year with new puppy and kids the age they are I have kept it short for practical reasons of play-space for both.  As both mature I will reintroduce the meadow with some adjustments that I think will improve it.

Earlier in the summer I took advantage of an offer to buy some Streptocarpus.   These lovely little nodding beauties are a native of South Africa and remind me so much of the berg where they grow wild.  DnA had bought Funny Bunny a lovely one for her bedroom windowsill that really reminded me how much I miss them.   Mine arrived as tiny plug plants which I planted up into pots and put them on my north facing study window sill.

Baby Streptocarpus

Two of them already have flowers.

Hannah

Scarlett

Lovely, I am very happy with my additions.  Although not strictly garden plants I had to tell you about them.

The other South African beauties that have done so very well this summer have been the Agapanthus.  The blue variety and the white, both have been lovely.   I must get some for Sarah's south facing garden...maybe I can germinate the seeds from mine, it is worth a try.

This time of year is not only fruitful in our domestic gardens but also in the wild.   Blackberries are beginning to be abundant.   I made a lovely blackberry crumble this week.   The sloes and the little hazelnuts are also ripening...I must visit THE crab-apple tree...

Yes, as we face autumn....

This is the start of the mellow fruitfulness....and lets hope there is enough sunshine to fulfil that anticipation!

Of course as we face autumn those of you in the southern hemisphere face spring...how lovely it has been to see my friend S's 'new' garden develop over this past year...now spring is bringing forth new blossoms in her garden...keep it up S, I love to see the progress...

Meantime...maybe next spring here we will have the Swedish family to visit...I shall mull over what bulbs to plant where in anticipation...and I have an old wheelbarrow to tart up (oh, I mean up-cycle, tart up  has progressed to a more modern saying of up-cycle these days)...well, said barrow needs to be painted and planted ready for spring....not to mention pruning and..and...and...

It's going to be a busy week.

Happy gardening everyone.

Coming of Age...

...Of My 'Wild' Garden....

The conception

The coming-of -age,
4 years later

Sparrowhawk
(Not my picture...I wasn't quick
enough with the camera.)

This morning as I pulled back the curtains there was a sight to greet me that I really did not expect.

A young Sparrowhawk was sitting on the pergola!

My 'wild garden' has come of age....

It is wild enough to attract one of the top predators in the suburban garden.   Four years...I feel as if the garden has grown-up all of a sudden!

Well, it might be a one-off,  or a lost juvenile.   The fact remains, there was a sparrowhawk sitting in my garden on that end bar of the pergola until a jackdaw chased it off.



So, although the lawn-mower problem hasn't been resolved yet, I hope it will be this week even if only temporarily...

Although the weather was cool enough this morning for the heating to kick in...

That little bird of prey has made my summer.

And of course the news is not all dismal...it never is.

Even though I think my tomatoes may succumb to mildew - I noticed some yellowing leaves with black spots on the yesterday and removed them at once, threw them right away, in the bin inside nowhere near the garden to lessen the chance of contamination....

Slowly ripening

Could ripen if mildew hold off

They are surviving so far and there could be a bumper crop.

But like chickens...never count them until they are ready.   The weather has been so damp and humid.

Other things are doing fine too.   I was really thrilled to see that the Chilli is ripening.   Can you see the tip turning red?

Chilli ripening

The sole cucumber plant is laden with baby cucumbers.   The Mange-Tout peas are still producing.

Cucumber coming along

Mange-Tout peas

Well, a garden, wild or not, needs to produce things to eat.  I totally agree that beauty is essential too of course.

Apples ripening

So let's see of there is anything new to show you this week.

 Begonias and Fuchsias are looking good.   Some Fuchsias I very neary put on the compost have come into their own.

Old Faithful...I have
had this begonia plant for years and years.
I do not know what its real 'name' is.

Voodoo Fuchsia

At this time of year the magenta colours seems to glow.   Look at this Gladioli.

Gladioli

Raspberry and cream
hanging basket

Pegasus has been out of commission for a few weeks but yesterday D kindly restrung him ready to fly again.

The flying horse

D also fixed a childproof latch to the garden gate...it is mounted too high for Lanky Leah to reach as she opened the gate this week and let the dogs out into the road.  Of course, being conscientious children, they both yelled and ran after the dogs.

But talking of children...how about this little story.  My little granddaughter, Funny-Bunny, who lives in Sweden, took it upon herself to plant pepper seeds - all by herself.  Which she did.   Nothing too hard about that, you might think, but she is only four and three-quarters.  She also labelled her seeds without help from anyone.   One side of the label has her name and the other the name of the seeds PAPIGA (or, in other words, paprika)!   Brilliant.   Another generation of gardeners coming through

Her Name

Papiga!

 Thank you for sending me the photos.   I am so proud of her...taking after the other gardeners on both sides of her family tree.

The little plants-girl and her Papa
(Thank you A for the photo)

That's about all for this week....
In the wild I notice the hazel nuts are ripening, and we picked a punnet of ripe blackberries this morning when we walked the dogs.   This is the fruitful time of year...if the tomato blight stays away it will be good.

Chat to you again and fingers crossed that sparrowhawk was not just a mere passing chance.

Not my photo (I wish...)

Death of an old friend...

...and other garden news....

Sometimes old friends die without warning...as mine did this afternoon.   I was working with him and, just as we were concluding the task in progress, he died, spluttering to a quiet exit in my hands.

RIP Lawnmower.

The lawnmower, a little Flymo of indeterminate age, but I estimate about 12 years old, finally petered out after serving me without a cough for many years.   He was second-hand when I got him, as a gift, so he served me well in return for very little.   Just his cleaning after every task and oiling every now and then.   I wonder if they are made to last like that these days?

The garden has been fairly quiet this week.   The summer has not been too fierce, in fact it could be a bit warmer, sunnier.  Let's say I haven't had to water the garden other than the greenhouses.

Drip, drip, drip....

In between the showers it has been warm, sometimes sunny and a bit muggy.   I fear this might ruin the chances of tomatoes ripening...or may encourage tomato blight....warm damp weather.   Hopefully we have enough wind to prevent that nasty complaint.

I've had a couple of good harvests in spite of the weather.

Black and red currants

The currants have been good.   In fact I lost half the black currant harvest due to not being able to stand on my foot and then wet weather.  What I estimate is that I have about half the actual potential harvest.   It is enough to make a few nice batches of ice cream.  The red currants ripen more slowly and they have been good.   I only have 2 bushes of them and 4 or 5 of black currants.

Estima Potatoes

Potatoes have been relatively successful too.  I harvested another bag this afternoon, see picture above.   These are Estima.  Let's say I have not had to buy potatoes since returning from holiday.  I don't eat potatoes every day though.  Geraldine has also had a reasonable crop of potatoes...she reports that the children love to dig up the potatoes...this may be the start of two more gardeners.

Courgettes

Between the Potatoes and courgettes I have had quite a few meals supplemented from the garden.  Courgettes don't need to be much bigger than the one above to be perfect for eating with a dab of butter and some salt and pepper.

But, apart from those couple of little successes, there is very little news in the garden.

The clematis viticella shines in the evening.   I am not sure the name of this particular variety of viticella.   I thought I had mistakenly pruned it too hard...seems like it's enjoyed being bullied.

Clematis viticella

House plants.

I haven't many houseplants at the moment as most of them are relocated outside for summer.  Pelargoniums are wonderful right now.  D, I must try to get some cuttings of different varieties for you, also for Sarah and Chris if they want?

Softer pink centres to flower

The scented pelargonium with variegated leaves

A lovely deep red one

African Violet

 These have really come along nicely this week.  Sweet peas are making an effort but the weather hasn't really been sunny enough and Seren dug most of them out...

She has not dug the garden since I came back from holiday...maybe that whack with the spade taught her that my garden, at least, is forbidden as digging place.  She does pick up windfall apples and eat them though.   It is a wonder she doesn't have a belly-ache.

So...the African Violet is a house plant and it has flowered all summer long with very little attention from me.   North facing window sill seems to suit it.

The new baby Streptocarpus are dong fine.   One even has a tiny bud.   Probably I should take it off to give the plant a chance to put on a bit more growth before it starts trying to flower.

Streptocarpus.   One on the left has the bud - click, to enlarge photo

These are also on a north facing window sill.

The Dahlias are putting on a brave face in spite of the rather too cool weather.   The Agapanthus too.

Dahlia

Agapanthus

So all in all a very quiet week, though as I walk round the garden, it is not a bad place.   The bees have been exceptionally busy.  So are the blackbirds that seem to be resident, if not in the garden, then very near because I see one nearly every time I walk down the garden path.

Buddleja - bees love it as do butterflies.

Has the summer been a success in this garden?   Perhaps not a complete failure.   The set backs have been the dog, being young it was expected she'd dig.. it could have been worse.   And the weather, that has been a bit cool.

I remain hopeful of the tomatoes and apples.

Chat to you again sometime soon....

....happy gardening!

Hello Garden...I'm home...

...how have you been doing while I was away?

Home

The garden...when I go away in spring, summer or autumn there is always the worry about the garden.

This year I found 'a man'.  CADDT have an office just round the corner so I called there and asked if they knew someone who would be willing to 'keep an eye' on it and water when and where necessary while I was away.  It worked..  For the vast fee of £10.00 a week a very nice young man came and took care of the watering and basic grass trimming.

OK - so the garden wasn't a show-piece when I got home but hey, £10.00 a week...that is slave labour.  The garden was alive and very much a jungle of growth.

It still is...I will tell you why later but first a few pictures...

Divinely scented yellow jasmine

Double orange day lily

Crocosmia, Lucifer.

Lacy Hydrangea

Single day lily, Pink Damask

So...there are plenty of flowers and colour.
Though lots of things are 'over'.  Strawberries are definitely over, but black currants and red currants looking amazing.   Some of the black currants are a bit over ripe.

The 'mange tout' peas are just beginning to fruit.   The courgettes too.  But the everlasting spinach is going to seed.   Weeds abound in the strawberry, spinach and radicchio beds.

The remaining sweet peas and poppies that I managed to salvage from digging Seren are beginning to flower.  The Marguerites need to be cut back, they are over but I should get a late flush of the daisies if I cut them back now.   They have self-seeded everywhere and are even growing out of the concrete.

Another  hardy 'doer' is the buddleja.  The big one was a weedy specimen I pulled from between the concrete slabs at Yew Tree House a couple of years ago.  Now it is a fountain of purple and covered in all kinds of bees and butterflies when Jonah and I looked at it in the sunshine today.

So here I am chatting about my garden - and lamenting mildly about the weather, the way the garden is a bit of a jungle.  Four years ago though, there was no garden, not in the recognised sense of the word.  So here is the annual comparison of pictures...a bit later than usual but not enough to make that much difference, still summer.

Looking towards bottom left corner

Looking towards bottom right corner

It was a rather sad place.  How anyone could voluntarily live and look at this day after day  is something I can't understand....

Well, it's a jungle now, 4 years later, and still needs attention but here is how it looks this morning.  Photos are taken from the same places I took the above photos.

Looking towards bottom left...but you can't see it now for growth.

Looking towards bottom right corner

Now, for the past few weeks I have been enjoying produce from the garden, potatoes, currants, peas, spinach, courgettes, not to mention herbs of all kinds....so, an indifferent summer notwithstanding, I will stop moaning ....

Gardener's Delight variety

The tomatoes are there and with a bit of sunshine and warmth they may ripen.
The same for the apples, a little Orange Pippin

Hope they swell some more and ripen.

One of the goals I kept in mind when planting this garen was that it had to be a fun place for children.  Children play in a garden, although they need to respect it they also need to enjoy it at every level possible.   Leah and Jonah seem to love mine for all kinds of games...hide and seek is a favourite.  There are plenty of hidey-places.

Scooting off ...to hide?
No!  ..."I hun'gee Marnie!" in answer
to my shout that supper was ready!

One of the nice things about going away is that we can bring things home as a memento of a holiday...

My memento this year took on a rather surprise element as I wasn't intending to buy anything...

I was trawling through ebay looking for curtains for young S, soon to move into her own house, and found a pair of out door cushions.   I'd wanted bright cushions for my bench so I had a look.  Ah, no bids and auction to close in an hour.   I bid 99p, the current level of bidding.   Bear in mind the outdoor cushions go for about £16 to £20 each....  I won the bid and the cushions were mine.   BUT, oh dear, they were collection only!   I thought maybe they would be in some place too far to make it worthwhile, but guess what?   They were a 4 mile detour on the way home.   R kindly made the detour and look at the new garden cushions!   99p...

eBay bargain cushions...99p!
So the bench gets a holiday memento.

Shortly after coming home a midge or mozzie bite I had sustained on the way home, probably in Dorset somewhere, developed into a nasty problem knocking me out of garden commission (or any reasonable activity of any kind) for almost a week while doctors found an antibiotic to treat it with effectively.   I can't take penicillin.    So the garden is still a jungle....I am so far behind any chores that it is becoming more and more of a jungle ....  BUT...I am absolutely fine now, no more excuses for a jungle-garden.

Things need cutting back, tying in, roping up, cutting down, planting out...harvesting!  On and on....

WHY, on this cool Saturday morning am I sitting here tapping this post?   Why indeed?   My hat, my boots, my gloves...let me get out there without any more delay!

Chat to you again soon...happy gardening.