Bluetit Babies and Painted Ladies

About two weeks ago we were in 4 layers of clothing and worried about frosts.

This week I am searching my wardrobe to find the coolest things to wear. Visits to the garden are as early as we can. This did not work today, as we had our first sea swim. It was delightful. 

This is Pett Level on Monday.

Today the tide was right in at 10 a.m..

So our visit was in the afternoon. Oh my goodness it was hot. We were dripping. Steve planted some of the last tomatoes  and aubergines. I`m glad he did it!! This was the temperature in the polytunnel.

The tomatoes are loving the heat.
 

At home we have resorted to pegging up fleece for extra shade as well as spraying with whitener. Outside, both my  coldframes and all my plants are shaded with fleece during the day.

Over the last few days, as the sweet rocket reaches its peak, the Painted Lady butterflies are visiting.

As we sat in shade for our teabreak, bluetits were busily feeding their family in the yellow birdbox above our heads.

The first clue was horsehair sticking out of a crack. I think it is wonderful (if not actually surprising) that the birds are using materials from nearby. 

 

Despite sitting right underneath, it did not deter their efforts.

Bluetit babies need 100 grubs or caterpillars per day. So I was in two minds about the latest infestation of Ermine moth webs 

(we had it last year)

I read up about it. They will not kill the tree. The worst webs are on the little apple tree which I feel is quite vulnerable so Steve did clear them. I don`t think any bird could get through the web anyway, which is a clever deterent. 

I spent my time removing plastic water bottle guards from sunflowers. Soon it will be difficult to get them past the incredible growth. Some needed tying in and some needed stakes.

Here is the first sunflower bud. 

Incidentally, at home I still have 45 sunflower plants to go in!!

The foxgloves are at their best.

 

The weather has been glorious but new planting has to be shaded and watched carefully.

Some rain is coming.

It will be welcome.

 

 

 

A Better Day

A couple of days ago we had "one of those days"

Anne discovered Ermine moth caterpillar infestations in our little orchard and we spent most of the visit collecting them. With a plastic bag over my hand, I just grabbed handfuls of web, dead leaves and either bundles of eggs or tiny caterpillars. It was not pleasant and it was too windy for Neem oil spray.

The next thing we found was the rocket plants eaten from above. Not sure what by though.

And finally the wind was playing havoc with the delicate poppies and many other plants.

Luckily today was better.

The poppies are just lovely in deep shades of pink and red.

  

 

I had to clear a space for tithonia plants. They are Mexican sunflowers and a little touchy so I hope they do well in this spot.

 

 

I picked some of the redcurrants so I will be making jelly tomorrow. There were a few green ones but I`ve been picking them out. The crop is really good this year.

We began another batch of comfrey mixture. It is growing prolifically alongside the tortoise run. As I cleared it, the perfume of the honeysuckle was over-powering.

 

The very first passionflower is open. When I planted this small cutting last year alongside the fence, I never thought it would flower so quickly. There are many buds to come.

 

Today was definitely one of the better days.