Frog Shower

 We made a very quick visit to the garden today to check on the new solar-powered watering system. It is doing fine (more in another blog entry)

 It wasn`t the only solar-powered item in the garden. There is a new floating fountain which is very pretty. The big green frog, who needs a name really, was loving it.

The barley bale which Anne put in the pond has really begun to pay off. The blanket weed is dying. As I fished it out I found numerous baby newts which I carefully returned.

The garden is looking so pretty in the June heat.

Here is the candytuft which seeds itself every year.

  I just had time to cut the edges after Anne had mowed earlier.

The poppies are beginning to look straggly but I want the seed heads to dry out properly before I collect. Many plants collapsed in the recent rain and broke away from the base.

Such a shame as the bees love them so much.

Here are Jan, Julie and Hollie taking the donkeys for a walk in the lane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So drive carefully when you visit .... you never know what`s round the corner.

Bouncing Bees

It has been hot. Parts of the day have been too hot to do much in the garden. I still have a few things to plant up. Some of my plug plants only arrived a week ago. Petunias, calibrachoa, geraniums.

The oriental poppies are really good this year.

All of these plants were taken as cuttings from our own garden.

Next year there will be some other colours.

I was given a lot of fluffy wool and I have made some bees. They are designed to go outdoors and they have recycled wings made of plastic wrapping.

I was very pleased when they were nodding in the gentle breeze.

Today we took them to the garden and you can see them in the butterfly bed (maybe I should make butterflies next)

 

I had a lovely surprise the other day. Someone was relaxing in a newly cleared area by the cob shed.

He is having a rest from the reception area which has now been taken over by a new very glamorous fairy.

 

Inside one of the crochet pods, made specially for birds, a wasp has built its nest, at least I think that`s what it is.

And underneath a poppy has seeded itself.

In my next blog entry I will give more details about how I made the bouncing bees.

Sprouting Willow Stakes

Oh it has been so hot and we just love it but the polytunnel is pretty unbearable. Yesterday we were there very early as we wanted a swim and lunch at the beach.

(The sea was freezing)

In the heat there are many different insects around, butterflies and especially bees, even a damsel fly over the pond. None of them captured on film however.

The poppies are coming into their own and I am particularly happy with the orientals which were only planted last year and are now covered in buds.

The annual ones are doing their own thing as per usual.

I sometimes think that if ever the garden were to be abandoned, poppies would take over. They come back year after year and in such a range of colours.
 

I also sometimes wonder who chooses the colour scheme round here .... it`s not me! It is totally random.

At times it works and other times it does not.

But who worries, everyone loves it.

My chrysanth cuttings have at last "taken away"

Last year I had plugs from Fothergills. They were so good, I took cuttings. One has flowers already.

I brought a tray of odd plants from home and found places for all of them. They will either sink or swim.

I replenished the tiny nursery after planting things around the garden that did not sell.

Our view from the seat is constantly changing. Now its foxgloves, backed by the silk bunting.

They seed all over the garden in all kinds of colours and in all sorts of strange places.

I`m glad I left this one by the polytunnel door.

And I also left this corncockle by our seat.

And finally .... so much for my ideas of stopping the willow stakes from sprouting. They did ..... despite peeling the bark for about 6 inches. Maybe the ends need immersing in boiling water next time.

Sausage Sizzler

The weather has been wonderful. For the first time we have had a sizzling sausage sizzle, not squashed into the polytunnel.

We even had the gazebo for shade.

 My nephews and great-nephews came ...

 ... for parachute games, acrobatics ....

 ... wheel barrow rides ...

 

... and wigwam building. 

Steve cooked our sausages, slapped into home-made bread and we had fresh scones with home-made jam and cream.

 

After that some of us walked the buttercup trail which is stunning at the moment.

There are lots of campers and yurters staying. 

What a wonderful place to be.

 

HAPPY DAYS and HAPPY HALF TERM.