What a difference a week makes! All of a sudden, as well as all the spring flowers that are decorating the garden at the moment, blossom is now appearing on most of the shrubs. It has also made a diffence to the strength in my legs, I am now walking right round the whole of the garden and the woodland for my morning exercise each day and feeling a lot better for it. Each day I see something new to admire, so let me share six of them with you.
Camellia Margaret Davies in the border by the drive.
I can’t believe that it is so long since I last did a post for SOS. I knew that during last year I was getting more and more tired and had hardly any energy at all so the garden was suffering and didn’t look as it should, in spite of the gardener coming to work here each week.
Chionodoxa Pink Giant on the alpine scree.
Another month has flown by and of course August is hay making time for farmers. It is also hay making time for gardeners who have left some of their lawn to form mini meadows. Instead of setting forth with a sythe, Matt the gardener, set forth with his strimmer before using his lawn mower. He had strict intructions to be careful near the one and only orchid that I have, that will be left to die down naturally in the hope that it will appear again next spring. My six this week are all of the meadow.
The “meadow” has been battered by wind and rain recently so is looking worse for wear, definitely needs cutting!
At last we have had some serious rain overnight, the garden will be very pleased and so will I, just the odd little shower during the week didn’t make much difference. Last week I mentioned that the seasons are changing, leaves are changing colour and the temperature has dropped, well more leaves have dropped and we are now told that the temperatures will go back up next week!
Time to show my six for this week…………
This photo says it all to me! Cyclamen hederifolium peeping up through the fallen chestnut leaves!
Another week has flown by and I’ve not done much in the garden. I had a flying visit from my daughter which was lovely, we had the usual wander round the garden but I tried to steer her away from all the weeds! Autumn flowers are now opening, showing that the seasons are changing even though we aren’t ready for it yet.
I suddenly noticed that my Tritonia rosea, which is a cousin of the Crocosmia, is flowering on the rockery, I can see it from where I sit at my lap top.
At last we have cooler weather and even had a tiny bit of rain the other night, which the garden ceratinly appreciated. We have been warned though that there is more heat on the way! The Olympics are coming to an end so there is no excuse any more for me not getting on with all the jobs that need doing outside, I have managed a little bit most days, concentrating on any weeds that are thinking of going to seed. My six for this week are here….
A Spirea in the front border, but can’t remember which variety it is, sorry!
Sorry, but for me it is just too hot and humid, we wait so long for summer to come and then when it does, I can’t cope! The house is lovely and cool, windows and doors open for any breeze and the curtains closed to shut the poor sunshine out. I have been gardening at 6am each morning in my pjs, thank goodness only the birds can see me! and then one more session after breakfast and by 9.30am I am whacked so that is it for the day. I can then sit down and watch the Olympics with a clear concience! I almost forgot to photograph my flowers yesterday, so busy watching TV and cheering on Team GB!
Lovely lily in a pot, It might be Stargazer, not sure as it was a present, but still surviving, think I must repot it for next year.
What a lovely few days I have had with the family! Most of the time was spent with my daughter and family in Bristol but then we all went to a my son and daughter in law in a village near Maidenhead last Sunday for the christening of grandson No 3! While I was away I noticed that Devon had a fair amount of rain so didn’t need to worry about my garden or pots, everything was looking very lush when I got back! No problem photographing plants for this weeks six, there were so many flowers everywhere, so lets begin………….
Greeting me at the gateway when I got back from my mini break is Crocosmia Paul’s Best Yellow. It is supposed to be by my Agapanthus, but I think something has moved, must do something about that.
After a week of rain, wind and sunshine, mostly rain, my meadow has flopped, C. Lucifer has flopped as the gardener took my supports for something else and didn’t put them back! and the orchid has now finished flowering but I can’t find any seed unfortunately. Today seems to be nice and sunny so hopefully it will stay that way.Even so I managed to find some nice new flowers for you.
Hemerocallis or Day Lilies are starting to flower around the garden, they make a nice splash of colour.
At last we have had some rain! Never thought I would be wanting rain for my garden, but I was finding watering more and more difficult from my water butts. It seems to have rained all Thursday night and all Friday afternoon and evening, and was still raining this morning but now the sun is shining, so no need to water today! It has been a week of two halves, mornings for doing whatever gardening I can and afternoons for watching tennis. Even though I can’t play any more, I did play a lot when I was much younger and enjoy watching it whenever I can. However, lots more flowers to enjoy when I can get out, so lets get on with my six.
Crocosmia Lucifer has decided it is time to strut his stuff and is looking as stunning as ever.
