1st July
Started the big chopping back. First the catmint by the pond taking care not to fall in!
3rd July
8th July
Good harvest of beans and courgettes from my Monday garden.
This was my only Rouge vif d’etampes pumpkin!
9th July
Having a good sort out in the rose garden. Pulled out the poppies and deadheaded the roses fairly hard.
10th July
Dieramas over the pond and magnificent Clematis at the back.
This customer really likes Clematis!
16th July
When the fence was renewed in the veg patch over winter, it was moved back along this edge, and I gained a new strip of earth. I have enjoyed using the space for annual flowers which wouldn’t stand a chance in the tightly packed borders. The sunflowers and sweet peas have done well and I particularly like this Nigella African Bride
17th July
First bean harvest from the allotment. The yellow ones were seeds from Lidl and the purple possibly Blauhilde. I’ve had the saved seeds in a jar for ages and I can’t remember.
18th July
Hot and sticky evening visit to the allotment. Pulled out lots of weeds. The artichokes look great in the late sun.
24th July
It has been so hot this week, in the 30’s everyday. I have spent as much time as I can in the shade and drunks loads of water. I don’t seem to have taken many photos. Just too hot!
27th July
And today the heatwave ended. It has rained much of the day. This is a self sown sunflower doing well at the allotment and the very late sown onions doing their best.
Sowed some seeds! I’ve never managed to do this before in July. Here we have Sweet William, saved seeds, various salad leaves, kale and beetroot.
End of the month.
Still cutting back and planting a few cosmos in the gaps. They may survive the rabbits, we’ll see. It’s a funny time of year with the first lot of flowers over and the late summer ones not quite out yet. All this rain and warm weather will encourage it back for a second flush. Had a quick look round to note what is looking good at the end of July.
Shasta daisy and Echinops. Verbena bonariensis and Echinacea.
Kniphofia and lovely, lovely Agapanthus.
By the way I’m on my third pumpkin seed, which hasn’t germinated so that’s it for this year.