Summer in the garden, everything flowering all at the same time...

 

A quick update on some of the flowers in the garden this summer. A few might seem to be weeds to some, but I find them to be useful as pollinator foods and very pretty as well. (A lawn with white clover smells gorgeous and is good for common blue butterflies and bees.) I admit, due to the very wet spring, the bindweed is ferocious this year but autumn pulling and digging will get it back under control for next year and for now, the white flowers are appealing. The very wet Spring seems to have triggered a profusion of flowers with everything flowering all at the same time... these are some that caught my eye today.

Self-Heal (butterflies and bees)

Snapdragon (bumblebees)

Crocosmia (pollinating insects)

Valerian (all insects plus moths like the hummingbird hawkmoth)

Bindweed (pollinating insects)

Buddleia (pollinating insects, in particular moths and butterflies)

white clover (bumble bees, common blue butterfly)

lawn flowers!

roses (good for this human!)

fox and cubs (bees)

Love in a mist seed heads (for next years' garden!)

Buddleia 

Chicory (bees)

Sweet William (bees)

Cornflower (pollinating insects)

Calendula (pollinating insects)

Spring green and gold in the garden

 

kerria

wallflower

hardy geranium, rose, (behind rose) knapweed, phlox, lungwort and small daffs (flowering now over) getting ready for summer

pulmonaria (lungwort)

birdbox and bluetit (taken from indoors hence the blurry image)

new leaves on the little tree

rosemary in full flower

tulips 

new leaves for the elephant ears (bergenia)

grass seed beginning to grow on new lawn area

 

Fresh for Spring, find art cards, small gifts and household decor in my Etsy shop now.

New pack of four handcrafted cards based on my pastel sketches of tulips.
Blank inside for your own personal messages. 

The Gardener's Pocket - A great way to say thank you or send your love to your
garden-loving friends, family.

Pretty mini flower mandala, hand-stitched onto paper, perfect for brightening up desks
or bedrooms for a moment of mindfulness in your busy day.

Trees, Seeds and Crochet

As lockdown eases and the temperature rises it has been lovely to get out & about over the Easter holidays. It is that moment in the year when the trees burst into leaf and bird song and I have spotted my first swallows of the year.

As usual, several windowsills have been full of seed trays, mainly flowers this year and now the days are warm but the nights cold, it is that seasonal dance of bringing trays in and outdoors as they start to harden off and grow on. 

The pasque flowers have survived the frosts  and I'm delighted to find lots of self seeding flowers in the garden, feverfew, ox eye daisies, pansies and a few foxgloves, natures own patchwork. What we need now are milder nights with some rain to help with the outdoor seed planting.

Pasque flowers

Quantock Hills, mini tree and sheep.

Beautiful tree shadows at Glastonbury Abbey in the Spring sunshine.

Mini Granny Squares patchwork crochet in cotton.

Springtime in the Garden

 Happy St. David's Day!

After a weekend of beautiful blue skies & warm temperatures the little daffodils in the garden have bloomed, a lovely sight after a dismal winter. I have spotted bumble bees, honey bees & a brimstone butterfly over the weekend, along with more garden birds making the most of the sunshine.

Spring means it's time to reach for the seed tin, check what seed is still viable from last year & work out sowing times. I use a moon phase planting calendar to help plan timings. For germination, especially if sowing directly outside, it seems to help. There is a full moon towards the end of March so will aim to sow outdoors by then, if no frosts are forecast. 

I have bought some new flower seed for this year, Helianthus annuus 'Sonja' for the bees, some Mexican Marigold for companion planting, Phlox drummondii 'Creme Brulee' to fill in the borders & Brachyscome multifida 'Blue & White Mix' to use in pots for the patio. I found a few self-seeded foxgloves growing well & a few strawberry runners which have survived my neglect & the fierce recent frosts, these welcome free plants are always a bonus. 

 

June sunshine...

Today there is much needed rain in the form of storm Miguel, yesterday there was time for a
few June photos in the garden...

This year, the wet, warm Spring means giant perrenials!

Phlox settling in new position.

Coreopsis

Bumble bee on white valerian

grapevine

nigella and orange wall

squash seedlings growing

new rose seems happy

lilies flowering this year

'love in a mist' growing through the decking!

clematis climbing well

Some photos from last month,

foxgloves

and iris

(celebrating World Bee Day.)