Turf and Conkers

It was  a perfect day to start clearing the polytunnel. 

Between us we filled the bins many times over. We removed nicotiania with 30 c.m roots, still flowering and looking like triffids. We got out tomatoes, aubergines and peppers. We took down the net curtain protection which has been there all summer.

The net curtains and bunting were pegged up to dry off before we pack it away. 

In my opinion the non-fade rainbow fabric has definitely lost some colour so I`m not impressed. Quite a lot of bunting has been discarded.

The polytunnel is not finished.

In the end I had to cut the almost-over helianthus which was blocking our way to the compost heaps so I cut it down. It was so tough we decided it would go on the dead hedge. 

 

 

I was astonished to discover a fig but there is no way I will be eating it. The last ones we tried made us ill.

 

And the potted horse-chestnut is changing colour. This little tree is waiting for a permanent home on the farm.

 Talking of horse-chestnuts, my brother James and my nephews went conkering and gave me some to plant up.

This basketful makes me very happy.

Yesterday Sam was doing some turfing and had a few rolls left over. He very kindly brought them to the garden. Steve has rolled them out and given them a dousing.

 

We hope to use some of it to repair the cob shed roof by planting it up with sedum.

There are a few gaps.

Thanks Sam.

 

The grass is very long but there are a few worrying patches which have not re-grown. They may need re-seeding in spring.

 

 In the mornings the grass is too wet to mow or even strim.

 

 And some surprising flowers for the time of year.

 

Happy days.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pot Stands and Autumn Wreaths

As we move into October, the colour in our gardens is amazing. It seems as if nature is making up for the driest summer on record.

I love it and may the first frost be a long way off. I cannot bear to clear anything to prepare for spring. The dahlias are still in full glory.

This is Neo

Just waiting to be planted for spring, I have rows of wallflowers, sweet williams, bellis daisies and trays of stock and violas as well as primroses that I managed to keep through the hot months. I have quite a few bags of mini-dafs but I have not ordered tulips yet. I have saved lots of bulbs from last year.

A few weeks ago I would never have thought that the Michaelmus daisies would put on such a show.

 

The bees have been in a frenzy.

The grass has almost recovered and could probably do with a cut.

At home we have been making pot stands using our varied skills.
 

They are for the local Scout/ Cub group which has had a new kitchen fitted and provided by Louise and Stuart Homewood from the village. They asked us to make the pot stands to save the new worksurfaces.

The new kitchen looks wonderful.

This afternoon I completed 6 green aprons, also for the kitchen.

At home my craft display has been changed to an autumn theme;

And my autumn wreath includes dried flowers and poppy heads from the garden
There is no reason why seasonal wreaths should be confined to Christmas. 

We are prepared for colder weather with a double load of logs, a coal shed full  and nearly 5 bags of kindling.

Already the nights are getting colder. 

Plenty still to do.

 

Lantana in Lourdas

We have just returned from our week`s break in Keffalonia. The weather was lovely thank goodness as we didn`t want a repeat of last year when we were so cold.

We had a villa in the hills surrounding the village of Lourdas in the south. We decided not to have a car as it was a 10 minute walk to the sea and restaurants. We now have well-developed calf muscles especially with the swimming included.

The beach was very crowded at one end with sunbeds and umbrellas costing 8 to 10 euros a day.

But this is not our thing so we had our swims at the other end which was a bit wilder.

 

The beach had a steep shelf as you entered the sea and oh the buoyancy was magical. After a dip, we were then staggering out up the steep incline. I thought it was old age until I saw much younger people having the same trouble and even falling over.

The pebbles were flattened with very round edges and I found some beautiful driftwood. It can be seen here with my holiday craft.

 

Paula spotted this tiny ghekko one evening as we hung up our wet swimming gear. It wasn`t until we took a picture and enlarged it that we saw its true beauty. It is about 4 cm long.

 

Under our feet in a restaurant we saw this scuttling around .... some kind of cricket but we were a little concerned. You can see why.

 

 

There were many very beautiful cats hanging around the restaurants and the villa. Now I am not a cat-lover but its skinny belly really tugged my heart strings .... I could see its heartbeat against its scrawny ribs. It sat near us with its green imploring eyes. Paula gave it bits of chicken as I didn`t think it would appreciate stuffed yellow peppers!!

 

In one restaurant we saw a cat rescue. Two young girls arrived with a large cage and they `captured` a cat and took it away. I wondered if they were part of the Keffalonia Animal Trust which is a volunteer run charity in the area. They provide emergency medical care for strays. No photos here.

 

The only other wild-life we encountered were tiny fish nibbling at our legs in the sea and three buzzards wheeling high over the villa.

 

The lantana was stunning and growing in gardens, and tumbling into wilder areas. I saved some seed.

 

The flat land behind the beach was given over to plots of growing spaces. The main growing season had passed.

On our last full day, the storm clouds gathered in the hills and much later there was a spectacular thunderstorm with pink and orange lightening over the sea and thunderclaps overhead that made us jump out of our skin. We had to retreat indoors.

Next morning there was a brilliant double rainbow almost rising vertically into the air,

 

Oh we love our Greek holidays but it so good to get home and, as my sister says, flush the loo paper away

(amongst other things ..... such as still being able to eat stuffed peppers)

 

 

A nearly full moon.

It will be called a Full Corn Moon.

 

September Glories

 The garden was glorious today and full of surprises. The sun was hot and insects galore were out and about.

I think this is a pseudo bee as it only has one pair of wings.

(Common drone fly  .... Eristales tenax)

Thanks Sam

And a peacock butterfly on the tiny buddliea cutting near the pond.

I am so happy to see the Michelmus daisy starting to bloom.

 

Everywhere I look there are colourful vistas.

 

 New growth is all over the place.

 

Borage

 

A sweetpea seedling

The raised bed has a new lease of life.

 

During our teabreak, Sam came along to say hello. He is my cousin once removed. He has recently moved to Hastings and he has just started up his own gardening business. He has been doing some work for Tim and Anne, including pruning the cherry trees.

Here we are. We have waited to meet up for some time. Today was the right day.

 

And here is a picture of him just starting on the first tree. 

 

Before and after pictures. 

 

Sam has managed to let some air and light into the trees as well as taking off some of the height .... where we can`t reach the cherries.

Very happy.

Thanks Sam.

Survival and Loss

We had a very productive morning in the garden after so many visits where it has really been too hot for any activity.

Today we decided to cut the hornbeam hedge. It was the first and hopefully last of the year. We now have an extending battery-operated hedge trimmer. Unfortunately it is a bit heavy for me but I can manage the short one. So we did it between us.

 We cleared the area in front of the dead hedge .... nettles and thistles and deadly nightshade .... and all the trimmings went there. The nettles are about seven feet tall. Their roots must go down as well as along.

After a very welcome teabreak, I set to on the shrub bed, clearing overgrown bushes of forsythia, cutting dead perenniels which didn`t stand a chance, and removing the rabbit wire from around the lavender hedge. I`m sorry to say that a couple of lavender bushes have also succumbed to the drought which is a bit surprising.

In this bed the best survivors are sedum and artemesia.

I even got to cut and pull the strappy dead leaves of the huge phormium watching out for their spiky ends.

 

The phormium in the tortoise run has a flower spike.

Elsewhere around the garden, the dahlias are making a valiant effort at regrowth. When I think what they usually look like, I could weep. Well not really, but normally I would be picking armfuls.

 

This one is called My Love. It is a strong grower but has short vase life.

Thank goodness we have some quince because there are very few apples on either of the other two trees. It is an acquired taste, almost perfumed with the consistency of pears.

The harvest today was meagre but we are particularly pleased with the butternut squashes. Some of the tomatoes are minute but my goodness, so tasty.
 

Anne spotted this egg box fairy clinging to a tall plant.

She must have flown from the Snug.