Summer arrived last week and made quite a dramatic entrance as temperatures soared into the 30s and thunder rumbled overhead.
It was a little early, as meteorological summer does not begin until 1 June, and astronomical summer this year starts at exactly 9:24 am BST on 21 June if we want to be precise.
Ruby had to miss a couple of walks because it was simply too hot. Fortunately, she had a visit from the groomer on Thursday and is now sporting her summer cut. She could really have done with a haircut a few days earlier, but appointments need to be booked well in advance.
The temperature eventually cooled enough for some walks, much to Ruby’s delight.
At Home and in the Garden
Colour is spreading throughout the garden.
The roses at the front of the house are particularly spectacular this year.
The newly planted perennials are growing well.
I have planted some annuals between the two new beds until I decide on a more permanent planting scheme.
One self-sown plant has surprised me. Allium christophii has been popping up around the garden and I assumed I must have inadvertently moved some bulbs when gardening. This year, however, that theory was disproved when I spotted one growing in a place where I could not possibly have planted it.
I know alliums are prolific self-seeders, but what really surprised me was that the flowers remained true to the parent variety.
Martyn planted some tomatoes in the greenhouse. Encouraged by the warmer temperatures, they had finally started to put on some growth.
We had intended to spend Saturday afternoon at the allotment but instead found ourselves waiting for a plumber. He arrived around lunchtime, spent a few minutes investigating, and then announced that a camera would be needed to locate the blockage. Unfortunately, he did not have one with him, so another visit had to be arranged for Monday morning. To be honest, I suspect he rather fancied an early start to his weekend.
With our plans changed, we spent the afternoon sorting out the patio tubs instead.
At the Allotment
Due to other commitments, the weather and the plumbing problems, we did not have much time to spare for the allotment last week, although on Monday we planted two more varieties of squash: Marina di Chioggia and Hunter.
We made a couple of short visits to water the crops, particularly the areas where we had recently sown carrots.
On Sunday, we decided to make up for some of the lost time and put in a double shift.
In the morning, Martyn finished erecting the supports for the climbing beans while I planted the final batch of sweetcorn along with one lot each of runner beans and climbing French beans.
We returned home for lunch before heading back to complete the bean planting. A second variety of runner bean and climbing French bean was added, with courgettes planted between the bean supports.
We also sowed our first two rows of peas. As always, we sow generously. Once the seeds had been watered in, the bed was loosely covered with Enviromesh. This helps prevent birds and other creatures from disturbing the soil or using the bed as a dust bath, while also protecting newly emerging shoots from the ever-present wood pigeons.
Martyn then strimmed the grass paths and edged the beds, leaving the plot looking much tidier.
Strawberry season has finally arrived and we picked our first punnets of the year last week. Harvesting has to be done carefully, as any fruit nibbled by slugs soon attracts an army of ants.
Not everything has been a success, however. I also lifted a very disappointing garlic crop. It has not performed well this year and most of the bulbs are disappointingly small. Hopefully, there will at least be enough usable cloves to mean growing it wasn’t a complete waste of time
Out and About
Temple Newsam
The Slam Dunk Festival is over, but it has certainly left its mark. Large areas of grass have been damaged and will take some time to recover. It must be soul-destroying for the grounds staff, as just when one area begins to recover another event is often scheduled.
At least the ground was dry, so heavy vehicles have not churned the grass up too badly.
It is a shame to witness the damage, although I suppose the events generate a substantial income for Leeds City Council.
As we headed back to the car we saw that the Golden Guernsey billy goat had company and had been joined by his family.
Nostell
To avoid the hottest part of the day, we visited Nostell in the morning. It was already busy when we arrived and by the time we left even larger crowds were pouring in. Perhaps they were planning a picnic lunch or heading for the café.
The buttercups are now dominating the meadows, while in the wooded areas the pinks of campion and herb-robert provide splashes of colour.
A wild rose combined the colours beautifully.
As it had been a fortnight since our last visit, we were keen to see how the cygnets were getting on. Sadly, the eight youngsters had been reduced to five. It is normal for a swan family to lose some of the brood, but losing three is more than usual for the Nostell pair.
The cygnets have experienced some challenging conditions since hatching, including hailstorms, which may have contributed to the losses. However, with only one pair of swans on the lake, their offspring are also the focus of several predators.
Pike patrol beneath the surface, while mink, which are excellent swimmers and capable divers, can stealthily approach unsuspecting birds. Mink are fearsome predators and have also caused problems for allotment holders who keep chickens.
We often see a heron on the lake, and there are also foxes on the estate. Although foxes can swim, they are more likely to hunt in the shallows, using the reeds as cover.
The remaining cygnets are growing quickly and have already begun to develop their characteristic long necks. I estimate they are now around three to four weeks old. Apparently, the most vulnerable period lasts until they are six to eight weeks old, so the remaining youngsters are not out of the woods just yet.
Finally
After a week that seemed to be dictated by the weather, plumbing problems and a long list of gardening jobs, it was satisfying to see signs of progress wherever we looked. The garden is filling with colour, the allotment is beginning to provide its first harvests, and hopefully the surviving cygnets continue to thrive despite the challenges they face. With summer now officially on the doorstep, there is plenty to look forward to in the weeks ahead.
As always until next time stay safe and stay well.
