Thursday, August 31, 2006

Grey Day




This is the book I started reading last night, after finding it whilst cleaning up. The weather has been atrocious with grey skies, wind, and rain. I took a few photos for todays blog post but had no energy.

The book is by Joanne Harris, a Yorkshire lass who wrote Chocolat too which was one of the best books I have read.The Oxalis flower reminded me of the sweet shop in that book.

With my attempt at homemade Dandelion wine I thought I would read Blackberry wine. Its full of wine, scents, plants, and old fashioned gardens. I have not finished it yet.

I dont even drink wine, but the internet told me how to do it, so I did do it. Sallyanne thinks i'm mad. The people at work think im crazy but want to try some when its ready.

The grass is regrowing too faster now the weather is cooler.It will need cutting soon. The wet conditions have made everything look green, lush, verdant green.

This is my Kitchen window Viola in Red and Yellow, like a medieval stained glass window with sunlight streaming through it.

I feel melancholy today because of the grey skies. I guess as summer starts to end, what do you blog about? The grass not growing. The tree's going bare. The wet soil. Frost dates.

I guess i will see how many people put their blogs to sleep, like bears hibernating over winter. I feel quite attached to posting words and photo's. If the garden is bare I will find some topic. Last year from November to March was post less mostly. I want to do better this year. Keep the old tin stove burning so people can warm themselves with winter musings.

Will you keep the garden blog going over the winter to come? Antipodean gardeners excepted who have their summer to come...

In Flower today, some photo's




The Viola carpet around the Abyssinnian gladiolus.All were self seeded, but organised in rows by me.









Hosta flowers, they are like a soft lilac colour, the same as our bedroom walls.















Peach coloured summer bulb flower, between rain storms..









Rose Sunshine in bloom today...













Orange tea rose flower, what a beauty!!

Wednesday, August 30, 2006


Vanilla Viola newly repotted for seed collecting Posted by Picasa

Look at the faces.The left hand one has eyes and nose and a mouth....So does the middle one..as good as Knotholes.. Posted by Picasa

Can see how the flower unfurls from the long cylindrical flower bud casing.My evening primrose, grown from last years leftover seeds Posted by Picasa

My burgundy and yellow viola, have seed pods now Posted by Picasa

Found, solitary vanilla coloured viola Posted by Picasa

fiery Posted by Picasa

Rose bud nearly opened Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Tuesday musing

I took a lot of photos today.Walked around looking for interesting things to shoot.The first ripe blackberry (the others i have seen ripened weeks ago, my hedge bramble is lagging behind them).I found a recipe for blackberry wine, but alas i will have a few ounces only not the needed four pounds!!
The seed grown busy lizzies have their first flower.A beauty in pink, like a watercolour painting with wet paint running on wet for all you artists out there.
The Erysimum has flowered for a second time after looking quite tatty and slug/snail ravaged.
It was a rainy, thundery day so i did not linger long outside.The wind made it quite chilly to be outside in a tshirt.
My summer seeds are still dormant beneath the soil..I collected some evening primrose seed pods today.They will join the others.I got some pansy seeds from work to grow on to make nice plants before returning them.When to plant them?Should i wait untill January time??
The tomato plants and Dahlia blew over in the stormy conditions overnight.I uprighted them and put some heavy stones on trying to keep them upright.
I have some seeds left to plant, borders to tidy, and compost to seperate...Two days off left before night duty.
I need some sleep and rest before i will go out into the garden tomorrow...

Busy lizzie flower, like a pink watercolour Posted by Picasa

rock a bye tia and cara on the tree top... Posted by Picasa

Zzzz, all quiet on the windowsill front Posted by Picasa

Sleeping beauties...dreaming of fairy mice (even through my violin lesson they slept zzzzzzzzzz) Posted by Picasa

Nasturtium Posted by Picasa

Tomato flower like a yellow sail catching the high summer rays Posted by Picasa

Sweet pink flower with lime green and yellow centre.Like a sweet from Chocolat.. Posted by Picasa

Got Chlorophyll, after being left in the dark.The Amaryllis has got green leaves Posted by Picasa

Erysimum in second bloom Posted by Picasa

First Busy Lizzie flower grown from seeds.. Posted by Picasa

Rose sunshine developing bud Posted by Picasa

First Ripe Blackberry in my hedge.. Posted by Picasa

Sunday, August 27, 2006


Its 10am on a blustery Autumn sunday morning. Im typing this with my third coffee of the day.Sallyanne is still in bed.
I'm working today later so not many gardening posts today.
I have three days off next week so i can concentrate on tidying the borders up, and more planning
Starting more seeds in seed trays, and weeding where they have run amok.
I used to remember sunday mornings as quiet days when i woke up to church bells, and light aircraft droning overhead.
The Hospital never shuts though even for nice Sundays. I am going to work in a few hours. The garden is looking green after the overnight rain. More posts soon...

Saturday, August 26, 2006


Mushroom Art, under a big one's cap Posted by Picasa

Ripen blackberries!!!!! Posted by Picasa