Perfume!

Having complained mildly about the loss ot perfume in my sweet peas the other day I opened the conservatory doors this morning and was met with a waft of delicious perfume, a combination of lilies and lemon blossom. It's a green oasis in the conservatory while outside is a parched landscape, impossible to do much about it. School breaks up tomorrow and we shall be looking after The Boy so I dare say the weather will change then!

St Swithin's Day

St Swithin'Day and no more than a spit of rain. Fifty-eight years ago, on our wedding day, we had a downpour! Watering the garden and the allotment by hand is hard work and not very effective after so many weeks of drought. Pickings are rather slim at the allotment although I did a swap with Teresa, two plots down from mine, and came home with enough basil to make a tasty pesto and a ball courgette that I stuffed and baked.

I'm picking sweet peas every morning. This year I planted old favourites that I know perform well, 'Noel Sutton' and 'Leamington'. Last year I tried a dark blue variety and it was very disappointing.

Don't now ask me which is which, I haven't got a clue. The blooms vary somewhat, mostly a clear colour but sometimes more striped and with a darker colour. It's a lovely task to go out each day to pick the flowers. I'm not as aware of the perfume these days, I think I am losing my sense of smell. (Don't get Himself started on what's happened to the flavour of new potatoes. Even Jersey Royals don't seem to come up to scratch these days.)

I'm watering my phlox, 'Miss Kelly' every day, I don't want to lose her. (You can see how fond I am of this soft lavender colour.)

Wedding Day 1967, up a tower at Bolton Castle, Wensleydale. The rain had stopped, I was about to throw off my shoes and start dancing!

Summer!

Sometimes in Blighty summer is a bit of a damp squib. Not this year, we seem to have been living for weeks now as if we were in the Mediterranean. I'm a sun bunny and if I were not also a gardener I would be in seventh heaven. The sea temperature is delightful, no problem to plunge straight in, not my ususual slow entry and thoughts about changing my mind! But the plants in the garden are under stress. The bath water that we run into the water butts is quickly used on the various pots. They seem to respond well to soapy water!

It can still be quiet on the beach during the week but it is a different story at the weekend.

We went to the beach in the early evening expecting it to be quiet. No such thing, all the locals had had the same idea as us and barbeques were being lit and school children playing games and throwing themselves into the sea. The atmosphere was lovely. The local shops have got their summer window displays arranged ready for the school holidays.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!

A quiet Sunday

Woke this morning, sun shining, no plans to go anywhere, do anything much. All quiet, people in bed. Did my usual early potter round the garden. Looked at the thermometer, everything set fair. Madness in the world but today I have just enjoyed and appreciated the small stuff.

At the allotment

Members at the allotment, where I have a half plot, come from all over the world. We are a culturally diverse group who share a love of growing and eating food that is free of pesticides, air miles and other unpleasantness. Today members and their families shared a midday lunch together featuring recipes from their country of origin. What a lovely, and tasty, idea! Before the meal The Boy helped with some much needed watering on my plot and some fruit picking. Not all went in the bowls!

The meal started at midday, a wide choice of recipes, some well known to me but many not. I ate the most delicious moussaka as well as Italian, Sri Lankan, Chinese and other dishes.

Rain threatened for a while. But, hey, that's just British summer for you!

June delights

We are enjoying such lovely weather, eating most of our meals outside and thoroughly enjoying the warmth. We have had a couple of heavy bouts of rain so there is not too much to worry about in the garden for now (apart from slugs and snails!) I am still saving the bathwater, however.

Lush growth everywhere and some plants in need of the 'Chelsea chop.'

I brought this rose from our last place as a cutting but can't remember it's name. I absolutely love it; a great perfume, it doesn't ball in the wet and lasts well when picked.

Most of my cuttings have taken. Here's another whose name escapes me!

Pairing happily with a clematis.

Raubritter is easy to recognise with it's small butterball flowers and tumbling form.

I've been asked how I propagate them. I take a stem that has flowered, strip off most of the leaves and bung in a patch of soil or in a plant pot and hope for the best. Instagram is full of different methods. (Our elder daughter, who travels quite a bit for her work, saves her shower caps for me to put over the cuttings.)

Don't be like me and forget to label them!