Cob Nest and Caterpillar Hedge

I was mightily relieved, on visiting Freshwinds after our holiday, to find everything looking good and no great disasters. There had been torrential rain and storms and in own garden, everything had grown about a foot.

 

 

 Sweetpeas and 

sunflowers.

The polytunnel is filling up.

 

Pomodoro tomatoes, 

watermelons saved from Aldi fruit,

cucumbers and newly planted parsley.

 

The sweetcorn.

 

Tim had brought us some manure and the asparagus bed was weeded in the rain.

New seedlings doing well

 

The wedding dahlias.

I replenished the tiny nursery. Maybe you will find a few gems if you look.

A bird has built its nest under the eaves of the cob shed. I think that`s rather special.

It might be a wren. It flew out as I took the photo but too fast for me to identify.

And I clipped the hornbeam hedge into a hungry caterpillar which will perhaps, be more easily seen when it fills out even more.

Walking the Fairy Buttercup Trail

On Wednesday five of us walked the new fairy trail-to-be, wandering through meadows of startling yellow buttercups. A good year for buttercups. I`ve seen fields and fields of them.

It was a glorious morning, with cuckoos calling and black and blue dragonflies flitting.

We passed ancient oaks and willows, gnarled trunks split with age.

And felled trees for making fairy rings.

We crossed the rickety rackety bridge imagining trolls under the mossy green sleepers.

And we passed the enchanted lake where a bog witch may live.

We waded knee deep in yellow and so back to the farm.

Fairy houses to be.

Even the normal farmyard views look magical in June.

For more news about the Fairy Trail, watch this space.

Freshwinds in June

A very sultry afternoon, with thunder, threatening rain later.....

......and we could do with a good soaking for all the new planting.

The candytuft has seeded itself in candyfloss colours.

The giant sunflowers are really filling out. I`m glad I chose a new position for them.

A self-seeded foxglove.

I am finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that we have had to buy plants ...... sweetcorn....as we have not managed to germinate any for ourselves. 

I wonder if I am losing my green fingers or is there something wrong with the seed or the soil. 

The possibilities are endless. We`ve never had problems before. 

Worrying.

At least the sweetpeas are starting to climb. I`ve tied them in.

Steve trimmed the willow arch as it is blocking the path to the compost heaps.

The daisies make their usual impact.

I`d like this picture made into a canvas.

The angelica is about 6 feet tall now and the bees are loving it.

Lots of butterflies around today.

Lovely elderflower blossom.

Poor old Tom needs a remake and even some new hands.

The herb garden looks significantly lusher since Steve put up the rabbit wire.

  

Tomorrow the Fairy Trail begins.

Flaming June (?)

It is so cold here that I am seriously thinking about getting my vests out again. Last night, after a brilliant day out, at Dungeness, we came home and lit our fire!!!

But things march on in the garden. It is hard to believe we are just 20 days from mid-summer.

In our own garden there are new things to see and hear every day.

A baby rabbit has taken up residence in our front garden....not too happy about that but short of borrowing a gun......

These alliums were half price in the autumn.

                                            The new rose complements the alliums so well.

The wind has blown quite a few foxglove spikes over but they make 

great architectural floral arrangements.

Pansies and wallflowers are hanging on in a blast of glory.

Roses are just starting to show.

Poppies.....

....clematis.....

 

......delphinium, verbascum....

.....and irises.

The veggie beds are really getting going after a very slow start.

And finally the wisteria on the shed is hanging on despite the usual heavy winds.

Actually you can`t see much of the shed any more.

 Good job we can`t see inside as it needs a good clear out.

Now it`s 3 layers on, to venture out and plant the last of my bedding.