Summer Strawberries And Roses

Its going to be a big day today. The hottest day of the year and the day that England play a football match against Germany in the World Cup. That is scheduled for 1500 GMT. My Strawberries are starting to fruit now in the new garden. Just in time for Wimbledon (I picked the first Strawberry before the tennis started at SW19). I have loved Tennis since me and Mum watched it. For me the Strawberries and Cream that are consumed there are part of a British summer.
The home grown Strawberries taste so sweet. They are invariably picked and eaten. They are sweet, juicy, and pesticide free. I have them growing in a Herb planter by the kitchen door and in the railway sleeper bed. This year the herb planter plants had an extra top dressing of compost and they are fruiting beautifully. So well in fact that I had a daylight raid by the Squirrel. He nabbed a whole red Strawberry and ran off with it up the fence with the whole Strawberry in his mouth.

I love this photo showing the Lupins, White Foxgloves, Hostas, Alpine Strawberries, and Gertrude Jekyll Rose. These textured Green, and bright flower colours are what I can see from the chair at the backdoor.

My favourite Rose is this Lady Emma Hamilton teasing here with a half open flower bud. She smells of citrus fruit when you inhale the perfumed scent. I love the Copper/Apricot colour of the blooms. The terrific heat will wilt the plants. I have put bark chippings on all the Roses to keep the moisture in the pots. The heat causes transpiration through the leaves and the plants wilt as their water columns collapse. Normally watering afterwards help straighten them out. the ponds Astilbes have wilted, as have the Mints in the pots. I need to do some watering soon.

The Rose Gertrude Jekyll keeps on flowering. She has outperformed all the other Roses in a smaller pot. She was kept in too dry soil last year. Maybe she is making up for lost time this year. Even the Rose buds are perfectly formed. She is one of the most heavily scented Roses.
I love the smell of Roses and Strawberries. British Summer scents to enamour you.