Delphiniums

We've been in need of rain for quite a few weeks. Well, now we've got it! It  comes in sharp, drenching bursts, spilling over the guttering and hammering against the windows. The garden is loving it!

Between the rainstorms I wander out to see how things are. There are good things to pick for the table now, various green veg and soft fruit, strawberries and raspberries. 

I was salivating at the thought of eating our own artichoke hearts, but by the time I had steamed the heads and removed the choke there was hardly any heart to be found. What a disappointment! I'm just going to leave the other heads to flower.

The wind has battered a few delphiniums down, but by-and-large my staking is working well.

The delphiniums are dotted all about the garden. In the past I bought plants from garden centres but thought that I couldn't grow them, they were always being eaten by slugs. These ones are grown from seed. I wait 'til they have a good root system before planting them out. I sprinkle grit round the base of each plant and that seems to do the trick. The colours surprise me, because all the seed came from one dark blue plant.

One or two broken stems brought into the house to enjoy.