Awful weather - typical Brits talk

pink_poppy

Ooh, I forgot to say that I saw my first frog in the wildlife pond!! I’m also pretty sure I saw a newt pop up 😃

MovingForwards

Good luck Farway.

So many pretty flowers are being posted up, keep them coming.

It's been another hot day, couldn't wait to log off today and get in the gardens.

Loaner garden - I've sowed a row of various salad leaf seeds. Only 3 more rows and 3 more bags to fill, then it's pottering around as everything grows. My OH has put a water bin in to make it easier for me.

My garden - Another couple of days and I will put the 2nd squash out and a few more tomatoes in. Kale and other greens are now little seedlings, will net them the weekend. 

I may need to have a rest day during this week's long weekend, there never seems enough hours in the day to do everything I want.

Davesnave

I missed seeing Farway's appointment today, so sending belated good vibes for it.

Another very hot day yesterday, so with the grass growing fast now, I spent half of it knocking out any docks and thistles that had escaped earlier attention. There weren't very many, but I didn't know that until I'd walked a few miles!

I've never hidden the fact I use selective weedkiller in the fields, delivered by backpack sprayer. There's only one of me and this place needs a lot of upkeep. This means only a tiny fraction of the land is touched by chemicals in any year and we only apply muck as fertiliser. While not organic, it's as close as we can get.

Over the past decade I've watched the grasses change and diversify and wild flowers not seen originally have established, notably vetches, violets and ladies' smock. We've introduced more ox-eye daisy, honesty and foxgloves in the surrounding hedges too. However, this year the buttercups have gone completely bonkers! We always had some, but these seem taller and different in the rosette stage. As buttercups don't make great hay, I'm not sure what to think, but there's no denying they're very pretty!

Farway

'morning all, quick clock in before I trot off to hospital, not due until 1300 and no doubt that is where the Great Wait starts, but actually I have to say the speed of treatment so far has been impressivee CV and all

That looks a lovely buttercup field Dave, while not in the same category there are some roundabouts & verges near the motorway that have a good display, including Ox eye daisies. I've meant to take my camera up there but it's a bit awkward with traffic from all directions

Everything has been watered & ready for my absence, should be OK, it's only a day

Catch up once I'm back

pink_poppy

One I somehow missed yesterday...

greenbee

I'm now thinking I should be taking pictures of my aquilegias... 
Hope Farway's hospital visit goes well.
I've spent a LOT of time removing blanket weed from the stream, removing any water parsnip I spot, and moving a few bits of water forget-me-not. 
The wildflower area has lots of yellow rattle (it appeared last year about 6 years after being sown) which is good news. And buttercups - although fewer than there would have been if I hadn't murdered lots of creeping buttercup last year. I've also stolen Dave's idea and pinched some geraniums from my brother's garden (he and my SIL can't tell a shrub from a buttercup TBH, and have a habit of digging EVERYTHING up and planting the same thing in every garden - this isn't going to work in their current one, but I'm keeping quiet) to plant along the stream. I'm also going to steal the poison glove idea... although having spent the weekend discussing Skulduggery Pleasant with my brother's kids, it has been renamed the 'Deathtouch Gauntlet'!

pink_poppy

Please do, greenbee. I’m loving the aquilegias that are growing in this garden. Four different varieties and they’re so tall compared to what I had in my last garden.

Davesnave

Red sky in the morning!

twopenny

Glorious photo Dave! The weather forcast says thunder storms today, maybe a little light rain which the plants would welcome. You wouldn't believe that while they are still showing the devastation of heavy rain and wind they are now suffering from heat.

So yesterday I shifted the gravel from a seating area and emptied the compost heap. It's good stuff so yay!

Also got out the Purple Sprouting as it's finished which was really large and heavy.

I was going to cut back the Forget me Nots today but notice that I have quiet a few small birds in the garden enjoying the cover and the seed. I've been short of little birds since my neighbour cut back all the overgrowth behind her garden so I'm chuffed to see that the garden is beginning to thicken out. Still lots more to do.

Also lots of insects flying around it. Really pleased as when I moved in 2yrs ago there was not an insect of bird to be seen.

Today will depend on if the rain arrives or not. Planning on just cutting the lawn, spreading compost, cutting up broccoli plants for disposal and heading for the tip. If it rains then that will be tomorrows job and I can take a break today.

Davesnave

No rain here. Maybe they lied. Forecast shows improving soon.....

House is full of kids , so I'm off  for a walk