Last week, summer lingered. There was plenty of sunshine and the temperature was just how I like it – not so hot that we were searching for shade or staying indoors, but warm enough to be perfectly happy in T-shirts. More importantly, it wasn’t too hot for Ruby to enjoy her walks.
We divided our gardening time between the garden and the allotment, but we also found time for a day out at Hardwick Hall.
Home and Garden
Work in the garden is now mainly a matter of tidying up, cutting back, watering and deadheading roses. The roses have been particularly floriferous this year.
One of our new clematis plants was battered by the wind and I think it may have died. I’ve cut it back to see whether it will send up any new shoots.
One success story is a clivia flowering in the house. I grew it from a seed taken from one of our existing plants. For a while – and by “a while” I mean several years – it shared a pot with its twin and sat neglected on a bedroom windowsill. We eventually took pity on them, separated them and repotted them. That triggered a growth spurt and now one of them is flowering. The process of growing a clivia from seed is described here.
Another double success has been the growth of two epiphyllum cuttings sent to me by my blog pal, Debbie. They are now producing new leaves. Should I be doing anything with them, Debbie? Potting them on? Feeding them?
At the Allotment
It’s a similar story at the allotment: mostly weeding and watering.
Since the water pressure problem was sorted out, watering doesn’t take as long, although it is more tiring as there’s no longer any time to rest while the watering can fills up.
Sowing and planting are winding down, although they haven’t stopped completely. Last week we sowed various peas – petit pois, mangetout and garden peas.
We also sowed more pre-germinated parsnip seeds to complete the bed.
Martyn planted some leftover tomato plants in what was once a cold frame. Each year this area becomes home to plants that are surplus to requirements and would otherwise be thrown away. They are usually well past their best, but often surprise us by producing a worthwhile crop
The roses on the allotment, like those in the garden, are in full flower.
We’ve been picking strawberries for a while now, and I pull some of the overwintered onions on most visits. Last week, however, we included several firsts in our harvest: a cauliflower, a root of potatoes, a small posy of roses, lavender and cornflowers, and a small bunch of our first sweet peas.
Out and About
Nostell
All five Nostell cygnets are doing well. Hopefully they are now through their most vulnerable stage and will successfully reach adulthood.
Hardwick Hall
We spent an afternoon at Hardwick Hall. The perennial borders around the house were at their peak but, personally, I would have liked to see more colour. Apart from occasional splashes of brightness, the predominant colour was green and the overall effect was rather subdued.
I had expected the walled garden to be bursting with plants, but parts of it looked rather sparse.
After walking around the gardens, we headed down a steep slope to the lakes.
There were two groups of Canada geese on the lakes. One lake held only adults, while on another a crèche of goslings was being watched over by several adults.
In goose society, adults often group together to look after the young. The principle is simple: there is safety in numbers. A group of adults has a better chance of spotting danger than a single goose or pair of geese. The adults work in shifts, with off-duty birds free to rest and feed.
We took the long route around the lake, much of it uphill and with plenty of tree roots to avoid. Ruby was completely untroubled by this and kept turning round to look at us as if to say, “What’s keeping you? Can’t you walk any quicker?”
Eventually, we all made it back to the top of the hill and returned to the car park.
Finally
Although there is still plenty of watering, weeding and deadheading to be done, the balance is beginning to shift towards some reward for our efforts.
The first harvests are arriving, the flowers are at their best and the garden is looking increasingly established.
Add in a pleasant afternoon at Hardwick Hall and plenty of opportunities for Ruby to take us on a walk, and it has felt like a very pleasant week.
As always, until next time, stay well and stay safe.
