Ditsy Boots and Sedum Baskets

It`s been a mixed bag weather-wise but everything is doing well because of showers interspersed with warm sunshine. The only thing suffering is the clustered rose flowers which are rotting before they actually open.

It was the perfect time to try out my new ankle boots.

They did look a trifle odd with cut-off trousers but hey ho, who`s worried. My feet were dry. And I love them.

I have been preparing for some cob-shed roof patching in the autumn. We were given some turfs by John. We used most to repair the edges of our own lawn but the rest was turned over and laid out on freshly weeded soil. Then I mounded up earth on top and planted sedum plants which I rooted last year. I don`t think they have done as well as usual. I hope they do better here in this spot.

In the background you can see the newly thinned out iris Esclarmonde, in a totally new piece of ground.

I have never tried to have hanging baskets at the garden due to the amount of care they need but this is the next best thing.

It has been very successful

Most of the rest of the time I spent weeding the rows of carrots and beetroot and discarding useless kohlrabi plants. I also transferred a lot of verbena boniarensis.

Plenty of campers around to chat to as well.

At the end I decided not to put the netting back over but used net curtains as a barrier for the usual rabbit problem.

There is very beautiful and delicate flower in Anne`s bed. It`s called thalictrum.

The runner beans and onions are doing well.

 

Some of the paths are almost impassable. Its like a jungle and we remain hidden when we take our teabreaks. We are surrounded by black hollyhocks, towering sweetcorn, sunflowers and ever-expanding clumps of Michaelmus daisy bursting out from the beds..... such a magnet for insects later in the season.

This stunning thistle came up outside a flowerbed and every time I pass it reminds me that it is there!! But I can`t bear to pull it out.

 

 

The wild flower area continues to give enjoyment 

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Long may it continue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Butterfly Garden

The butterfly garden (which actually has bees in it) is reaching its zenith. My sister and I sowed all the seed back in April. We had about 5 packets of wild flowers and it is very interesting to see how they have worked out.

From left to right, the first section was a most peculiar selection with something similar to a wild radish predominating. It was Fothergills Wildflower mix. Not what was on the front of the packet, though I notice some of these seeds will be perenniel. So far I am not impressed.

The next section is Wildlife Mixed by Fothergills. It is ok. I am hoping for something more perhaps later.

The next section is very strange and consists of entirely plantain. Were these seeds really in this mix. I really love it when the back of the packet reads that the "contents may vary from illustration." Too right they do.

Interestingly the best sections by far are the cheapest ... 50p packets from £land as well as a hardy annuals mix from Kings.

These are the prettiest sections and the look I really wanted.

I am enjoying the whole bed anyway. Next year I will make more careful choices. And I must remember that what appeals to me doesn`t necessarily appeal to the wildlife!!

(in April)

Here are some other photos from around the garden.

 When I look at these hollyhocks towering up to the blue sky, I can hardly believe they grew from a little round disc of a seed. They do however, take two years to get to this point and we had to tie them as best we could before the heavy rain and storms. The colours are delicate.

For next year I have brighter colours.

And a useful tip is to never put the rust covered leaves on your compost. Burn them if you can.

 And its so lovely to see the tiny fairy yurt up in the garden this year, full of fairy books and dressing up clothes.

 

 

 

Seven Green Frogs

 The continued damp is making the hot days humid and sometimes uncomfortable for any hard work. I am keeping my eye open for the grass snake that lives in our compost heaps as it loves these conditions. Not spotted yet.

As soon as you start to sweat, the horse flies are around and they give a nasty nip. As well as suntan lotion, we now take insect repellant.

As we stood round the pond, we spotted seven green frogs.

Here are three of them.

 The hollyhocks have just started to open. It is incredible to think these massive plants have been grown from seed. We did lose a few flower spikes in the wind which was very upsetting especially when they are just about to flower.

Just look at the veining on this one.

The first aubergines are forming and have such pretty flowers.

I took this photo from underneath.

Tomatoes are fattening up. I wish some would ripen. Steve has cut lower leaves off with this in mind.

Poppy heads are being harvested for seeds and decoration.

Steve also harvested a potato from the bottom of the compost sides. One always seems to come up there. We had some for dinner last night. Reds and delicious.

How I love it when the harvesting begins in earnest.

 

 

 

Magic Mushrooms and T.shirt Teddies

 I found some lovely muliti-coloured wool recently, which changes colour very quickly. I decided to make magic mushrooms. At the weekend I was given a lot of unwanted crafts including beads and sequins. They became part of the design as well. I am so incredibly lucky with things gifted to me.

Here are my first three.

I had wanted to glue them to sticks to allow them to be stuck into perhaps a gnome garden but in the end I decided to put a loop at the top.

Here is the next group.

 They might make a pretty addition to a fairy garden of your own.

My other longer project was t.shirt teddies.
I have a lot of striped and floral t.shirt fabric, recycled  of course. When I make these teddies I usually double the fabric.

It is a very simple pattern.

Amazingly all these teddies used the same pattern. They ended up in all sorts of sizes.

T.shirt Teddies and Magic Mushrooms will soon be for sale on the craft trolley.

A Seal came to the Party

On Sunday we celebrated my great-nephew`s 2nd birthday at Pett Level beach. His name is Hugo. We had a lovely family get-together, observing the present Covid rules.

The rain held off, the tide was in, the cakes were passed round, bubbles were blown, driftwood collected, searches for seaglass made, the children played and there was some loud horse-play.

Someone said, "I wonder if there are any seals around today." 

Not long after that someone else yelled, 

"There`s the seal!"

He was swimming VERY close to the shore, tumbling over and over and splashing about, generally making a spectacle of himself, attracted I believe, by the noise of people. I have noticed this before.

To our utter astonishment, he beached himself right up amongst us. Oh the mobiles were out! The photos we took! 

To begin with he lay in the surf rolling onto his side as if he wanted a tickle, just like a puppy dog and totally posing. It seemed completely at ease. Some of us did wonder if he was ok or in fact tame. Later a call was made to a local animal welfare group and a messgae was left.

Even more amazing, it then made its way up the beach in a most ungainly fashion and was extremely close to us. It was alert to movement and made a deep growling noise when we were too close. You could see its doleful puppydog eyes and whiskery face.

One of our party told him to go back to the sea and it actually turned round and trundled back to the water`s edge. But that was not the end. He stayed there until we packed up to go home. As we walked up the shingle to the cars, he rolled into the sea and swam away.

Do you ever feel that an experience like this was orchestrated especially for you?

That is what it felt like.

Unforgettable.

We left the empty beach .....

 ..... fully enriched by our encounter and we haven`t stopped talking about it since.

 

And of course Hugo had a wonderful time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

UFO`s over Freshwinds

We were totally astonished to see this floating across the lower horizon towards the sea. Was it a spaceship? Was it a UFO?

No disappointingly, it was very large Good Year Blimp air ship.

But it was quite a sight nonetheless.

After a few days away, Anne found the new watering easy to manage for us. We just have to check there are no blocked drippers.

Inside the polytunnel, ipomea has started to climb up the cropping plants so some had to go, which is such a shame. Lots of them have been transferred into the outside garden.

Some of the paths are impassable. This is cardoon gone wild.

Here I have allowed the poppies to grow where they want. So it is quite difficult to reach the compost heaps in this direction.

Talking about compost heaps, they have become an impromptu garden by themselves. Sunflowers, poppies, etc.

How could I pull any of this up!

All of these flowers are in the wild butterfly garden.

The redcurrants will be ready to harvest next time. Think its going to be redcurrant jelly this year. We have completely run out of jam .... so much has been given away.

I am very happy that the alstromeria has at last got itself together. We moved it a few years ago and its taken all this time to re-establish. It makes a great cut flower.

 

And here is a tip for your irises if you grow them. The top picture shows the old iris row. Last year I dug up half and transferred to a new position. I left the rest to make sure we had some flowers. But just look at the difference between the two photos. The rest of the old row will be moved in the autumn. Remember to leave the rhyzomes exposed to the south side. They like to bake.

Next time I think it will be time to cut the hornbeam hedge.