muddygardenerblog

~ My gardening year at work and home.

muddygardenerblog

Monthly Archives: August 2018

Late summer harvest

25 Saturday Aug 2018

Posted by muddygardenerblog in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

20180825_155126.jpg

Cox’s orange pippin.

It always happens but I can’t believe that it is the end of August already. It hasn’t been a particularly good vegetable year for me, I struggled with the watering and some crops like lettuce just bolted in the heat.

20180825_155347

Grapes, not ready yet.

It is really comforting, therefore, to find that with a bit of moisture and cooler temperatures the surviving vegetables have picked themselves up and put a bit of effort into it.

20180825_153852

Potimarron squash

The squashes in particular have gone from sulking and refusing to grow to taking over the plot suddenly masses of fruit appearing, (hope that’s the right term) about six on this plant and loads of flowers.

20180825_155252.jpg

Turks turban

Unfortunately the growth spurt is too late to win me the village pumpkin competition with this one.

20180825_153936.jpg

My late sown runner beans are doing better than the earlier ones which went over quickly without producing much.

20180825_155158

Had some tonight for tea, very tender and fresh.

20180825_155216.jpg

Courgette ‘Buckingham’

This is a new variety of yellow courgette for me this year. It has been prolific with courgettes, and a few marrows, all summer and still going.

20180825_153716.jpg

I don’t like the end of summer but I do loved the fruits it brings. The apples and plums are just starting to ripen and the blackberries are ready in the hedgerows. The wasps and hornets are fond of the fruit too.

20180825_153738

Hornet enjoying a fallen plum.

I will survive!

02 Thursday Aug 2018

Posted by muddygardenerblog in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

It looks like we are in for a bit more dry weather but before the downpours of the weekend finally broke the first heatwave, I had a look around the gardens to see what was surviving in the extreme dry and hot weather not usually experienced in an English summer.

DSCN3099

Verbena bonariensis, no surprises here as it freely self seeds in gravel, It may be ubiquitous but I still love it, a welcome pop of colour without dominating the border.

DSCN3096

Crocosmia, just a standard orange, unnamed variety but still looking fresh.

DSCN3101

Agapanthus, very happy in the garden and also in pots.

 

DSCN3107

Penstemon, probably garnet,putting on a good show with a bit of Dierama over the top. This one is at home I like a mishmash of plants.

DSCN3108

Geranium Rozanne, always gives 100%, admittedly this is my shady corner where it gets huge, but also does well elsewhere.

DSCN3110 My giant, bought from Tesco a few years ago, lavender. Every time someone comes to the front door, the scent wafts into the house. Going to be useful if the summers continue like this.

DSCN3109

Had a really good crop of raspberries this year. Originally one plant in a previous garden, I  brought a piece with me and now I have big tangle of canes.

DSCN3114-0

Passiflora caerula, passionflower, looking suitably exotic and enjoying the heat.

 

Only a few days after the rain, the herbaceous plants which I cut down  are popping back up.

DSCN3124

Nepeta six hills giant  (catmint

The grass is getting a bit greener too,DSCN3118

As, the climate changes, it may mean a change in what plants we can grow in the garden. I have lost some shrubs to the drought and even established ones can suffer. This is a  15ft cotoneaster which I hope will recover. DSCN3121

It could take until next year before I find out the true extent of the damage of the drought but it is going to be a challenge for the future, especially if we carry on with cold, wet springs as well.

Ah well, as long as the roses survive!

DSCN3119

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016

Categories

  • April
  • August
  • Autumn
  • December
  • February
  • Flowers
  • fruit garden
  • Giant pumpkin
  • Instagram review
  • January
  • July
  • June
  • March
  • May
  • Monthly report
    • October
  • My garden
  • November
  • Pub garden
  • September
  • Spring
    • Garden visit
  • Summer
  • Uncategorized
  • Vegetables
  • Winter
  • Year

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • muddygardenerblog
    • Join 44 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • muddygardenerblog
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...