Garden Diary – A week of two halves!

I have a smile on my face using the title ‘a week of two halves’ as every time I hear that expression, it makes laugh. What else would it be? Three halves!

Anyway, back to the weather… last weeks weather reminded me of a blog I wrote in May, ‘Golidilocks weather didn’t last’ as it was exactly the same pattern. The first half of the week was perfect, warm enough to be out and about with an odd small shower to help the garden, but then… oh it got hot! Too hot for most of us.

Of course everything in the greenhouse was loving it, especially the chillies which I think have produced the earliest crop (grown from seed the same year) we’ve ever had.

In fact it’s led to me starting a new spreadsheet, I do love a spreadsheet! I’m going to note down when I get the first harvest from each crop. I’ve been meaning to do one for ages.

Back to the chillies. Two plants grown from the same seed saved last year, called ‘Purple Naga Jolokia’ have the first fruits, but the leaves look very different, one having turned out to be variegated. It’s looks rather attractive actually.

I originally bought the seeds from a welsh company called ‘Red Dragon seeds’, they have a fabulous collection of chilli seeds with some really unusual varieties. They told me that, “Jolokia is an Indian heirloom chilli and is genetically stable” so a bit stumped as to the variegation.

I did learn that there are variegated leaved chillies though, including one called ‘Jalapeño Tiger’, so that’s now on my list!

The heat has also brought the first dahlia flowers out. I’ve planted them in one of the raised beds as I have plans to alter a few parts of the garden and I thought we would be doing it this summer, but the house renovations continue and have to take priority.

In the opposite raised bed a new crop was ready for harvesting, it’s called Huauzontle, which I really wouldn’t know how to pronounce, luckily it’s also referred to as Aztec broccoli.

It only needs blanching in boiling water for one minute, then was ready to be added to the dish. It has a very similar texture to spinach and is just as good for you. It’s used very widely in Mexico and is even ground into flour.

The lavender path has come out into full bloom which normally means dozens of bees all over it, you can actually hear the buzzing from them before you see them. Worryingly though, there are very few on it, one lunchtime I only counted seven. It did improve by the weekend but nowhere near the usual numbers.

Luckily we still have as many hover-flies as usual, and the wilder area is providing very popular, including the purple Catananche caerulea and the amazing Dieramas that dance in wind. I feel so sorry for the poor insects trying to access the flowers as they bob around.

It’s been wonderful being able to eat outside, despite the slightly annoying wasps that always want to join us. I heard an article on radio 4 last week, all about trying to rebrand the wasp as useful pollinator, rather than the nasty stinging machine we think of them as. In truth I have come to appreciate wasps more, seeing them at work in my garden. They certainly seem to be the main pollinators of my delicious raspberries!

Whilst we’ve been sitting outside well into the evening the scent from the Jasmine has been intoxicating, perfuming most of garden. I do hope the moths have been enjoying it.

I’ve completed my annual flower arrangement for my neighbours birthday, a tradition I started in lockdown. I do quite enjoying putting the cut flowers together, something I used to watch my mum do, especially after she’d attended flower arranging classes. She was such an artist person, much more talented than she ever realised!

So I leave you with the super sunny yellow Achillea, reflecting the rays of last week’s sunny heatwave. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Monday 23rd June 2025

First dahlia out 💕 ‘Purple Haze’.

As I had plans to alter quite a few parts of the garden this year (waiting to finish the house…), some of the dahlias have been grown in one of the raised vegetable beds 🌿🌺🌿

#MagentaMonday #Dahlia #dahlialove

Tuesday 24th June 2025

Very worrying is the lack of bees on the lavender path this year! You can normally hear the buzzing as you approach it, & you certainly couldn’t count the dozens of bees, but there’s just a handful & sometimes none 🐝💜🌿☹️

#tuesdayblue #bees #savethebees

Wednesday 25th June 2025

Say hello to my new crop, maybe you can help me pronounce it, Huauzontle.

Luckily it’s common name is Aztec broccoli 😁 Eaten throughout Mexico 🇲🇽 & full of nutrients 🌿

Tonight was the first harvest & it reminded me of spinach 😋

#kitchengarden #homegrown #growyourown

I’m coping with the temperature much better this week, more conducive to working & gardening. Plus the showers are very welcome 💦

Half way through the week already! #rosewednesday #roses #flowers #mygarden #Gardening

Calling chilli growers 🌶️ Has anyone else ever had variegated leaves on their chilli plants?

This is Purple Naga Jolokia, originally from Red Dragon seeds, but I save my own each year so it could be reverting 🤷‍♀️

Seems healthy so I’m sure they will still taste good 🌶️🥵

#chillies

Thursday 26th June 2025

Hey dude, where’re your Bono shades 😎💜🐝🌿

I’m glad to say, we still have a lot of hover-flies in the garden & quite a few bumblebees 🐝 but a noticeable lack of honey bees! #insectThursday #InsectWeek #wildlifegarden