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. 

And the Rain Came Down

 Well I am relieved to report that the rain came. And it was a decent amount. One whole day. The grass is beginning to go green again. Many plants have been saved from the brink.

We actually feel like gardening instead of just managing.

The weather was perfect for our yurting weekend, though there was a thunderstorm on the morning of the first day. Luckily it was over by the evening when we went to the Owl Yurt.

 

Oh we had a lovely time ... BBQ, campfire (perfectly safe after the heavy rain) willow wreath making, glowsticks as it got dark. trips to the garden to see the animals and veritable feasts ending up with toasted marshmallows.

Lovely family times.

We had very few decent plums in the garden this year, but luckily my niece had a good crop.

I made 7 jars .... unfortunately a little loose. My sister`s effort was much better. I think it will be nice with yoghourt.

Today I had a lovely treat.

We went to my favourite nursery ...

Rapkyns Nursery near Heathfield 

Morag greeted us and we had a good chat. She is a mine of information for all her lovely plants. 

We spent a lovely hour just wandering round and choosing what we fancied. 

We noticed some delightful changes since our last visit .... many new sitting areas with colourful vistas, a gazebo at the entrance, some metal garden sculptures, a beach hut and wooden upright dividers.

After a few questions about some of our choices, we sat under the gazebo for a flask of tea and some fruit before setting off home with our treasures.

 

 

And finally, last week one of the tortoises made a bid for freedom.

 

Luckily we spotted him before he trundled off into the undergrowth.

 (More rain coming tonight.)

 

Drought Realities UK

 I am really hoping that this drought is not going to be the norm but I also thought it was important to record the reality.

 

I am well aware that in some parts of the world this would be considered mild, but here in UK it is unusual. It is hard to watch our beloved gardens suffer and our expensive plants struggling. The earlier nurturing of seeds and young plants, raised lovingly and with such care, seems to have been futile in some cases. Our yields are definitely down. Vegetables have either bolted or died off early.

Although we have no hosepipe bans here, 40% of the country are under restrictions. We are being very careful with our water consumption and saving what we can. 

Some of the good old stalwarts such as Michaelmus daisy are drooping but I have high hopes that they will not die.

Even the sunflowers are dying .... those that actually got away and there were some that didn`t even get started.

 

Dahlias have wilted and keeled over. I`ve never seen that happen before.

Anne partly topped up the pond from elsewhere, as we were worried about using the big tank .... that keeps the polytunnel going.

 

The grass looks truly dreadful but we know that will recover as soon as it rains.

 

On Saturday we had a national alert on our mobile phones warning us not to use or purchase outdoor barbeques so no campfires for yurters or campers or anyone else.

Wildfires have been raging in parts of UK. 

 

And on a brighter note to end this blog entry ..... where are the butternut squashes getting their water from? We have not watered them.

Insects are finding what they need.

 

And in the chipped bark path ....

 ...... and finally, rain is possibly forecast for tonight, 

fingers crossed.