Magpies And The Rain

 Its been a typical British summers day today.A little glimpse of sunshine and then the heavens have opened.Its pouring down with rain now so no gardening can be done.I was industrious earlier potting on my Leeks Neptune,and putting copper tape around the French Beans in the greenhouse.The photo is of my Bletilla Striata I bought at the spring flower show.Its the first time i have actually seen them flower.

 It had three buds and two flowered.Alas they have dropped off now so i will wait and see if it flowers again.I bought some Bletilla before but the mouldy old flat killed them off.I love the furry throat of the inner flower and the wing like light pink petals.It is an oriental orchid that actually grows in soil,and not on a tree.

The only other thing I can do is watch the wildlife in the garden.We have had a family of Magpies terrorising the other birds.Here they were playing in the bird bath and washing.they eat insects and fat balls that have been dropped.
 The Squirrels have been coming in and eating off the bird table.Cat felt sorry for them after I squirrel proofed the Sunflower hearts and peanuts.They destroyed the other peanut feeder by biting through the metal mesh.The other problem is they keep digging up my pots.I have had to move the Carrots and French Beans into the greenhouse to try to let them grow on a bit.
  The other crops growing in the greenhouse are the Grape vine which is covered in flower buds,the slow growing Jalapeno Chili's and three varieties of Tomatoes.Premio,Black Cherry,and Italian Plum.
  The allotment is growing big crops,and the kitchen garden a different variety of crops.The only benefit of all the rain is the Apples on the tree are growing well.They love the rain!This year there are fourteen apples on the tree, breaking the last three years records (Three apples each year only!)
 The rain makes the green leaves and grass in the garden glow.I'm back on nights over the weekend so the blog will be resting until Monday.