Garden Diary – Craving rain in a British summer!

The week started off dull but still very warm, finally though we had showers forecast for later in the week. Who’d have thought we’d be craving rain in a British summer!

The days turned cooler and it was much more pleasant catching up with the gardening chores, by which I mean weeding. I don’t mind weeding when I’m on top of things, which I always used to be, but after a long bout of sciatica a few years ago, I don’t feel I’ve ever truly got back to grips with the weeds.

It wasn’t helped by us spreading our own compost all around the garden, that unfortunately turned out to be full of seeds! Anyway we just keep pulling them up.

The borders are brightening up as the late summer flowers appear. Geraniums keep popping out from other plants as they weave their way through.

The Antirrhinums that I sowed last year have returned and are attracting the bees.

I’m pleased to report that there are many more bees in the garden, particularly on the Echinops, Aliums and finally on the Lavender, although still not the numbers usually buzzing all over the lavender path.

There’s suddenly more butterflies around too, including the beautiful Comma’s that have been sharing the nectar with the bees.

Luckily between them all my tomatoes are being pollinated and growing like mad, benefiting from the heat we’ve had so far this summer. I collected my first small bowl full and I know from many years of tomato growing, that this is the beginning of a constant flow of fruits for the next few months now. Happy days.

The exceptionally warm weather has also given me high hopes for my aubergine production, with lovely fruits forming already. I’ve never been that successful before, so I’m quite excited!

I have two Santolina plants in the Med bed under the olive tree but only one seems to flower. The one has had a few flowers over the years but this year, not a single one. The other one however is absolutely covered in lovely yellow pom poms. Sometimes gardening is baffling!

The rain finally came at the end of the week and only through the night, which is about as good as it gets, and what I’ve been asking for, for years. Perfect. Unfortunately they are predicting yet another heat wave next week so I got myself back outside for a bit more weeding!

Monday 30th June 2025

Penstemon ‘Garnet’ is now flowering & brightening up a dull day (still hot though 🥵) #MagentaMonday 🌿🌺💕🌿

#flowers #pinkflowers #mygarden #gardening #penstemon

Tuesday 1st July 2025

Stripy tomato ‘Tigerella’ is loving this heatwave 🌿🍅🌿🥵

#TomatoTuesday #growyourown #Homegrown #tomato

Geranium ‘Rozanne’ has appeared in a now crowed border 🌿💜💙 #TuesdayBlue #geranium

Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Not actually in my garden, but peeping over the wall, above my Apple cordon is a beautiful pink rose from next door, bonus 😊🌿💕#RoseWednesday

I grew some Antirrhinums from seed last year, so second year of pleasure from a couple of pounds, & the bees agree 🌿💕🌸💕🌿

#Antirrhinum #bees #WildlifeWednesday

Thursday 3rd July 2025

The Echinops are proving as popular as ever 🐝🐝

It’s a double bumblebee flower 💙🐝🌿

#InsectThursday #bees #plantforbees

After 1 or 2 ripe tomatoes, this is the first day I’ve needed a bowl 🌿🍅🍅🍅

This bowl was hand made by a lovely ’gentle’man, retired farmer that turned wood for pleasure & sold it for the local hospice. Sadly he died this year but many of us will remember him with our bowls 🥰 He also grew good tomatoes! #remembrance #woodturning #tomatoes

The Bumblebee 🐝 & the Comma butterfly 🦋 enjoying the allium drumsticks 💕 #InsectThursday #bees #butterflies

Friday 4th July 2025

It’s a perfect ‘gardening weather’ day so I’m hoping to get lots done. Of course I’ve already been outside watering – the daily job 💦 They’ve forecast rain tonight, so here’s hoping 🤞

I hope you all enjoy your Friday 🌿💕💛💜🐝

#flowersonfriday

Saturday 5th July 2025

The perfume from Carnations, the fleeting joy of Day lilies, dancing Dierama’s, another Dahlia ‘Honka pink’ & the first Helenium 🌿🌺🧡💕🌿 #sixonsaturday

#dahlia #dierama #Hemerocallis #carnations #helenium

The Aubergines/Eggplants are loving the unusually hot British weather ☀️🍆

Soon be pulling out Ainsley Harriott’s barbecue bible for the Aubergine wraps with tomato & feta 😋🍆🧀🍅 #Homegrown #homemade #aubergine #kitchengarden

Sunday 6th July 2025

The Santolina or cotton-lavender has been reflecting the hot sunshine in the raised border under the olive tree, referred to as ‘the med bed’ 🌿☀️🌼☀️💛☀️🌼🌿

But finally we’ve had rain over night 🤗💦💦💦

#sundayyellow #yellowsunday #YellowFlowers