Free Plants and Wild Paths

August has come to an end. The days are already getting shorter. The angle of the sun is different. There`s a certain feeling in the air. The robin has begun to sing the autumn song.

Yesterday a robin and a wren were both in the greenhouse at the same time. I`m not sure about the meaning of this but it seems symbolic of something.

Despite very little rain, the plants are surviving, mainly on dew I think. We have planted more seeds in hopes of an Indian summer. Radishes, spring onions and beetroot. We have put French beans in and a few left-over calendula.

I am still busy collecting seed and sometimes wonder why I buy so many packets. At the present time they are drying in paper bags.

The wild path is wilder than ever, in fact you wouldn`t know it was a path. The tall plant is yet to be identified. It has fluffy seedheads.

After trying out quite a few different dahlias this year, my favourite is still "Garden Festival." It never fails to put on a glorious show.
 

Many of the dahlia tubers in the garden are barely surviving especially in the raised bed.

Having cleared a great deal of Michaelmus daisy, this path is still difficult to negotiate with a wheelbarrow. None of this has been watered.

My job for the day was starting the raspberry pruning. I will be needing gloves for the next section because of nettles.

The compost heaps are getting harder to put things "on." The raspberry canes will be burnt.
 

This is the result of stacking on the path at the end of last year. Fabulous hollyhock plants, sunflowers and echium. Plants for free. I usually leave them where they choose to grow.

Erigeron and californian poppies thriving at the side of the polytunnel.

But plant of the moment has to be the startlingly bright tithonia which I am so proud of.

Going with the Flow

 I can`t remember the last time it rained and now some areas near us are on a hosepipe ban for 3 weeks. Many plants have been discarded because they are suffering. I have pulled up aubergines in the polytunnel as well as cucumbers. Luckily our cucumbers at home have been prolific since the end of May. On some days we have picked as many as 20. Some have gone to the food bank based in Rye.

The sweetpea row at home has gone. The one at the garden is hanging by a thread. Many annuals finished prematurely which is so sad after all the care and attention they have had.

But we have to go with the flow, even if its not water.

Many campers are commenting on how beautiful the garden is and I think they are focussed on the sunflowers and tithonia which are loving the conditions and are not even being watered.

As we look back along the garden we can see the dryness has outlined the foundations of an old silo that once stood on the spot.

The biggest surprise is the damson crop, after the very late frosts. I have actually made the first damson jam of the season. The next picking will need a ladder.

 

 

 

We keep the old trough watered and the witch keeps a watchful eye. But just look at the surrounding grass.

 

I peeped into the mini yurt and found the table had been laid for goodness knows who ..... the fairies perhaps?

 

The pond is surviving. Dragonflies and damselflies are flitting around.

And the wedding trailer had a different tractor today.