A quick glimpse.

Around the garden.

Bugs and beasties

Some are beneficial, others not so much.  In early summer, common wasps (vespula vulgaris) are actually on the beneficial side of the fence as they eat nectar, pollinating plants.  They collect aphids, caterpillars and flies for the larvae in the nest.  However, they also noisily strip wood from fences and benches to help create these beautiful nests.

The larger queen wasp lays up to 100 eggs a day in these nests and the adult workers are all female which will go out to find food for the next generation of larvae.  They are rewarded with a sugary droplet from the larva they feed.  This means as summer moves into autumn and there are fewer larvae to feed, wasps seek their sugar fixes elsewhere, thus becoming a nuisance to us.

At this time, the queen will start laying up to 1500 queen eggs, along with male drone eggs.  Once these have hatched, they will couple up with mates from other nests.  The male drones will die off while the now fertilised queens will overwinter to start the cycle in the spring.

One such site for a nest this year was one of our compost bins.  TMTC began emptying the first bin and discovered a small nest. 

Closer inspection reveals the intricate cells containing the next generation of wasps.

The birds enjoyed picking out the larvae.

A lot of wee beasties have been busy in the composting area.  We have 4 bins that we spend all year filling with prunings, clippings, leaves and fruit & veg waste from the kitchen.

The compost was sifted and matter yet to decompose put back into the compost bin.  The last bin was also emptied, sifted and again, matter yet to rot down put into the first bin.

Out of just two bins, we've gained almost two pop up hoppers full of lovely crumbly friable garden compost. 

Some of the compost has been added around the base of key plants after being given a watering can full, to help lock in moisture and try to help them cope with the drought.  The other two compost bins will be tackled in the coming weeks in the same manner.

It's not an easy task and can be back breaking, but so worth all that effort.

The drought continues

One evening earlier this week I could smell the rain before I could either see or hear it.  That musty pungent twang of welcome moisture on hot dry ground.  It reminded me of childhood summers.

Sadly we've not had any 'useful' rainfall and while all the surrounding counties are embarking on hosepipe bans, our little patch of the UK is hoping that water use can be sensibly maintained...at the moment.  

It's a struggle to keep the garden looking lush with such little water.  We don't have a lawn in our current garden, but it's been some time since grass was green around these parts.  I know that it won't be long before the rain returns to our temperate climes.  For some countries this is the norm...and worse. 

The 'nursery' has sadly had a couple of fatalities. I think they're mostly of primulas, but we should be able to replace them in the spring.  Most of the plants in larger pots are faring better since they don't dry out as quickly.

The Yen Garden is doing well. The cannas are loving the hot sunshine and go perfectly with tropical looking crocosmias.

There have been one or two escapees around the garden with c. Lucifer popping up in the Long Border and in the front garden. They can finish flowering and then I'll lift them and replant them into a pot for the time being.  There are plans afoot and they will be planted in the Yen Garden in due course. 

The bedding plants are at full speed now. They do need a bit of deadheading, but now I'm back at work I'm finding it tiring in the evenings.  I'll soon get back into it.

These self sown opium poppies are ripening their seeds so I can spread their joy for next summer. 

I love this daylily.  Very exotic looking, and in another year I'll split this one to share in the Yen Garden.

The hydrangeas are flowering well.

More seeds ripening.

The archway doesn't have the effect yet, but r. Gertrude Jeykll has a growth spurt complete with new buds forming.  She's waist height now.

Below r. Shropshire Lad has a single bud and hasn't really been as vigorous as I had imagined.  Maybe the heat and lower water levels has been an issue.  A good dose of farmyard manure in the autumn should see it right for next year.

Magnolia George Henry Kern has now pretty much reached the top of the fence.  another couple of years should see it block out the view of our neighbour's orange cabin.

The foxglove seeds are almost ready to be scattered in the Pink Garden.  

And the pink aquilegia is having a second flush of smaller flowers. 

This old lily is usually ravaged by lily beetles.  I don't bring it out on view any longer but it's still having a go.  It seems pest free at the moment.

A second flush of creamy white foxgloves are keeping the bumblebees happy.

The dwarf sweet peas have suffered with the heat, being in a small container, but it's beginning to open tiny scented blooms.

Beside the pond, pinks are opening too, providing welcome colour among fallen petals from a very tall spindly looking red rose that's crying out for some tlc in our neighbour's garden.

The water levels have dropped in the pond, but it's still providing a drinking spot for the birds. 

It's almost time for the annual hedge trim.  This monster of a hedge could however find its days are numbered as we're thinking of having it removed.  Whilst it does provide privacy, it does also cause trouble with the soil drying out, with rapid growth that is a bone of contention with our neighbour below, and there is damage in the centre.  There's approximately 3 feet of our garden being taken up with its depth which could, quite frankly, be better used.

As mentioned earlier, plans are afoot.