Garden Diary – Picking fruit with butterflies bringing rain

Don’t they say, that a butterfly in Brazil fluttering its wings can cause a tornado in Texas?

Well it must be true! As, no sooner did the garden fill with butterflies fluttering all around than we finally got thunderstorms and rain!

Joking apart though, we have had more butterflies than I’ve seen for years, possibly in all the years we’ve been here. But I don’t believe that they are in any way responsible for the thunderstorms!

My butterfly identifying skills occasionally need a bit of work though, with me regularly mixing up the Meadow Brown with a Gatekeeper, luckily social media is full of lots of knowledgeable people that helped set me right.

It was strange weather at the beginning of last week, with the rain and thunder not necessarily coming together. On the Monday evening we sat outside as it was so warm, but the sky was a menacing looking dark grey with thunder in the distance, but no rain until later.

In the end it was quite a goldilocks weather week with what I’m always asking for. Rain through the night and the temperatures in the low to mid twenty’s, perfect. The garden and I were happy.

The agapanthus reached their peak and looked stunning against the grey skies, the roses started on their second flush and many of the late summer flowers are now in full swing.

We have yellow Rudbeckia ‘Goldstrum’ that spreads into larger patches each year, pink Echinacea popping up here and there and even Japanese anemones are starting to bloom.

There were suddenly lots of ripe Blueberries to pick on the later bush. With no cage on it I can’t believe the blackbirds having been helping themselves!
The larger, earlier bush that usually produces kilos of fruit is currently sulking after being dug up early in the year ready for those garden renovations. I’m hopeful that it will survive, but there is not a single berry!

The autumn fruiting raspberries are as confused as ever starting to fruit now, which to my reconning is definitely still summer. Not that we are complaining, as they are as delicious as ever!

The tomato harvest is going from strength to strength, and we already have tomato sauce in the freezer. The different colours look lovely in the fruit bowl including the new variety for this year called, ‘Green zebra’. Although it’s turned out to be rather more yellow than green, which at least makes it easier to tell when it’s ripe. All very yummy!

Monday 21st July 2025

‘Gabriel Oak’ is back strutting his stuff after a bit of a rest 🌿🩷🌿

We’ve had a good few inches of rain in the last week, particularly in the last 24hrs, which is very welcome 💦

I hope it hasn’t caused any problems for any of you🌿

#MagentaMonday #roses @DAustinRoses

Some ominous looking clouds around and yet still so warm, or is that just my age?….. 😁🌧️☀️🌧️☀️

And yet more agapanthus 🌿🤍🌿🤍🌿🤍

#blackclouds #silverlining #gardening #whiteflowers

Tuesday 22nd July 2025

As the afternoon went on yesterday, the ominous clouds moved on, revealing blue skies & hot sun ☀️

I should have put some sun cream on to pick the first blueberries 🫐 #TuesdayBlue #blueberries #kitchengarden

Simple Tomato salad:

Homegrown ‘Brandywine’ tomatoes or other beefsteak variety

2tbsp White wine vinegar

1tbsp Olive oil

1tsp Wholegrain mustard

It’s difficult to put into words how delicious this is 🌿😋🍅🌿

#Homegrown #homemade #tomatotuesday #tomatoes

Wednesday

My old lady ‘Mary Rose’ still putting on a show & it’s lovely that Ozzy Osbourne managed a last hurrah too!

I’m one of those odd people that likes heavy metal as much as a like opera. You like what you like!

Hearing ‘Paranoid’ takes me straight back to my school disco. Happy days! 😊

🌿💕🌿 #RoseWednesday #OzzyOsbourne #Ozzy

Bumblebees happy on the Veronicastrum & I’m happy to have many more pollinators back in the garden 🌿💜🐝💜🐝💜🌿

#InsectWednesday #bees #savethebees

Thursday

Ladybirds not only look beautiful in your garden, but munch their way through Aphids, scale insects, mites & many more less desirable visitors to your garden 🌿🐞💕🌿

#ladybirds #InsectThursday #wildlife #gardening

After last years disastrous butterfly year, I’m over the moon to have so many fluttering around the garden this year 🦋🦋🦋🦋

Comma, Peacock, Red Admiral & Meadow Brown

#InsectThursday #Butterflies @savebutterflies

Friday

The dahlias are loving their temporary home in the raised (vegetable) bed. 🌿💕🖤💕🌿

As the house renovations continue…. it’s looking like the garden changes will have to wait until winter ❄️

#FlowersOnFriday #Dahlia #MyGarden

Saturday

After a pretty perfect weather week, where it mainly rained over night and temperatures are back around the low 20’s, the garden & its owner are looking much happier 😀💕🧡💕💛

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend 🪴

#SixOnSaturday

My Autumn fruiting raspberries (Polka) are as confused as ever at what season we are in. But you won’t hear me complaining! 😋💕💕💕💕💕🌿

#kitchengarden #homegrown #gardening #growyourown #raspberries

Sunday

New heritage tomato variety for me this year, ‘Green Zebra’. I was wondering how I would tell it was ripe, but it goes quite yellowy 🌿💛🍅💛🌿 & of course there’s always the squeeze test 😁 Really good flavour 👍

#SundayYellow #YellowSunday #HeritageTomato