Garden diary – Cheers! The garden finally got a drink.

Just as the borders were starting to look incredibly sad, the rain finally came and the garden had a drink. We still need more, but it certainly does look better for it!

I’m so glad though, that the warm sunny weather lasted over August bank holiday especially for those still holidaying. It is quite a rarity!

As I’ve previously mentioned the white garden has suffered the most, mainly because it is underneath our enormous walnut tree, which casts its shadows over the whole area.

And also must require a huge amount of water. We’re actually quite worried about it as it is looking very droopy!

Unfortunately the bit of rain we had last week will do little to help it but hopefully the winter will replenish it.

I bought some white flowering begonia tubers to plant there after discovering they were happy in partial shade. I’ve always thought of them as sun loving plant!

Anyway, by the time they’d grown it was so dry that I decided to leave them in pots.

I do have a surprising amount of flowers still blooming, considering how quickly many of them have been going over with the dryness. It’s been interesting to see which cope better with the lack of water.

The roses have been surprisingly good, and although most of my deeper coloured phlox came and went quickly, one particular, pale pink variety called ‘bright eyes’, that flowers later than the others, is lasting well. Also still going is penstemon ‘garnet’ and three varieties of rudbeckia.

The raspberries have continued to produce an enormous amount of fruit, making picking them a daily chore (although not a bad chore). Combined with the pears ripening rapidly – yes the family member did come and claim a couple. I’ve been kept busy making cake for the freezer.

My extremely late sown climbing beans have begun production which will very soon have me making bean curry ready meals, yum, yum!

The tomatoes are slowing down a little, but should still provide some sauce for the curry. And there’re no worries about heating it up with a good array of chillies, displayed below on granny’s very old plate .

I’ve just been looking up the health qualities of chillies and although I knew of some, I didn’t realise quite what a superfood they were! I’ve even been wondering if they’ve recently helped my bad back with their anti-inflammatory qualities!

Ligularia ‘Desdemona’ is one of the few plants in the border that I’ve given a drink to as it does like to be moist. I water very sparingly, concentrating on the food side of things, but plants are expensive and so I give a drink to anything looking in desperate need. Let’s hope we now get enough rain to bring the garden back to health, but let’s not be having too much!!

Monday 25th August 2025

Breakfast is served 💕💕💕💕💕

Happy bank holiday Monday!

#MagentaMonday #bankholiday2025 #homegrown #raspberries #summerfruit #growyourown

After a few dull, cloudy days (still no rain), looks like we’re all in for a beautiful, sunny, August bank holiday Monday, which is a rarity indeed! 🌿💕🌞🌹🌿

‘Gabriel Oak’ bought in Wolverhampton at @DAustinRoses

#MagentaMonday #pinkflowers #bankholiday

Tuesday 26th August 2025

Blue flowers, turn into blue beans, against a blue sky 🌿💙💙💙🌿 #TuesdayBlue Climbing bean ‘Blauhilde’ 🌿💙 #kitchengarden #homegrown #growyourown

Made to make your mouth water! 🌿🍐💦❤️🌿 #pears #pear #fruit #kitchengarden #Homegrown

Wednesday 27th August 2025

Pure & simple 🌿🤍🌿

This new begonia was heading for the white garden, but as it’s so dry down there it’s stayed in a pot 🪴#Begonia #bloomscrolling #whiteflowers

Thursday 28th August 2025

It’s rained 💦😊☔️🤗💦 yesterday!

Actual raindrops on Rudbeckia ‘Rudy fire’ 🌿🧡🤎🧡🤎🌿

I never thought I’d be so happy to have rain in the middle of a British summer 😂

#raindrops #rudbeckia #bloomscrolling

My latest back spasm is easing quicker than usual. Could it be connected to my chillies, with their capsaicin compound & its anti-inflammatory properties?

They also help to reduce blood pressure, boost metabolism & are packed with antioxidants 🌶️🧡🌶️💜🌶️💛

#superfood #chillies

Friday 29th August 2025

Phlox paniculata ‘bright eyes’ blooms much later than my other phlox & seems to be blooming longer despite the lack of water. Although we have had a good few downpours in the last 24hrs 🤗💦🌸💦💕🌿

#pinkflowers #flowersonfriday #bloomscrolling

My 7 tomato varieties of 2025

Orange sunshine (one the bees created for me), Brandywine, Green zebra, Sunchocola, Tigerella, Indigo rose & Rosella (my favourite) 🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅 #tomatoes #tomato #homegrown

Saturday 30th August 2025

It’s been much more about harvesting & cooking the garden produce this week, but the flowers have perked up after the rain 💦

Roses, carnations, dahlia, penstemon, rudbeckia 🌿❤️🌸💛💕🌿

#sixonsaturday #bloomscrolling

Sunday 31st August 2025

Pear & raspberry cake, recipe🍐💕🍐🍰

This one was cooked in the microwave on half power for 10 minutes, hence its pale colour.

#Homegrown #homemade #baking #cake #gyo

Ligularia ‘Desdemona’, for me is a must have plant for a shady spot.

In early summer it creates a large clump 4-5ft across of enormous dark red leaves, a foot in diameter on red stems. Then late summer these clumps of orange yellow flowers 🌿💛🧡🌿

#SundayYellow #bloomscrolling