… And not in a good way!
It is 10 days or so since we had high winds and since then, we have had grey days and rain.
The garden is sodden,
The plants that should be standing up are collapsed.
And the weeds are heading straight for the sky.
(Crocosmia “Lucifer” – usually stays fairly upright but currently it is lolling around in the Mint)
I have reached the conclusion that July is not a good month to be living in West Wales.
Last year it was just wet all summer,
The year before I posed this Question
(Larspur and Ammi Majus (Bishop’s Flower) an unruly tangle in the cutting patch)
One of the reasons that I find this weather so depressing is that Late Summer / Early Autumn
Is my favourite time of year.
This year, I am not sure that many of the plants will make it through to the end of August.
(This warm damp weather also means the garden is an ideal playground for the slugs -
When they are not taking refuge in the house)
Next year I am resolved to be more brutal with the “Chelsea Chop”
And cut back every late flowering perennial and annual in the garden
In the hope that they will survive the inclement weather we experience in July.
I have been skulking in my studio for the past 10 days, it was really clean and tidy -
But I have started on a little project for myself – so another couple of grey days then it will be finished.
One the best things about July however, is broad beans.
How beautiful are these?
Broad Beans ‘Red Epicure’ – they turn green if you boil them, but should keep there colour if lightly steamed.
I always blanch mine and then pop the inside bean out of the tough wrinkly skin – much nicer.
And – as you can see by my dirty hands – despite the weather I have done one or two things around the garden!
Haven’t done any work in my garden for almost 3 weeks as I was searching for my missing Vita. So glad I found her after 19 days. Tomorrow I’ll start wokring in garden again. Did manage to harvest my broad beans though, had green and red ones. Broad beans are 1 of my fav veg, my widdle dog Tara loves them too.
Am amazed that you’ve had so much rain whereas over here it’s been very, very dry and hot. Today it has finally become cooler, around 20 C which I like much better than 34 C.
BTW love the unruly tangle!
Yolanda Elizabet´s last blog ..Summertime- and the Livin Is Easy
Not much better over this side of the border in north west England Karen ~ there have been bucketfuls of the wet stuff ~ I’m blaming it on the introduction of the hosepipe ban but not sure whether that applies to you
Anna´s last blog ..One Potato- Two Potato
We had our first nice, cool day in July today. I spent the morning trying to make my garden look a little better. With a month of heat, it looks like it usually does at the end of August. The bugs have been bad this season, too. I am not sure if that has to do with the heat, but it sure makes for an ugly garden.
That red flower up top is lovely.
sandy´s last blog ..tall grass
Lucky you to have so much rain!
Best
R
Such a lovely post. I have empathy for you, my Spring was wet and cold and sooo windy! We survived. Although now we are trying to survive very hot and dry weather. I suppose we shall survive this, too. Such is the nature of gardening, don’t you think?
For all your disappointments, I’d still like to swap. My garden plants are floppy with thirst and less floriferous too but like you intend to do more Chelsea chopping next year.
The ups and downs of gardening – like a rollercoaster ride
Laura
PatioPatch´s last blog ..A Garden Full of Wishes
Sorry to hear you still have plenty of the wet stuff, the weather seems to be everywhere for the past few years and it’s making it increasingly difficult to predict just what will happen!
Those Lucifer crocosmia are just beautiful even in their drooping sodden state. I love them. I just planted several — it’s my second try, as none of the 12 crocosmia corms I planted last year came back after winter. Your photo makes me remember why I planted them!
Laurrie´s last blog ..Shazam
I have been salivating over your photos. Beans in the hand and chewed leaf my favourite. So nice to get away from the image of perfection. A definite fixation in the gardening press
Sorry to hear that you are not enjoying the rain. Here it’s dry and hot. I’ve often thought it would be perfect if it rained only at night. The crocosmia are lovely.
It’s a very beautiful jungle, Karen, if that’s any consolation. I hate high winds – they can do more damage than any other kind of weather. Will you show us what your little project is?
Victoria´s last blog ..The annual Eeeek! moment
Thank you for visiting my blog; I hope you will return sometime. I write quite often about Wales.
You must have a wonderful garden; does it face the sea I wonder? I live half the year in Wales and half in Wiltshire (long story) but am in Pembrokeshire now for most of the summer – the contrast is good.
I hope you will like West; Jim Perrin lives near you, at Penrhyndeudraeth. It is lovely part of Britain.
No he doesn’t, Mark – he lives in the Pyrenees, but has been staying in Wales whilst his new book is launched.
oh chin up, it’s still beautiful and bountiful
love those broad beans and what have you been up to in the studio…??
Carrie´s last blog ..A little nosey around the fields 1 A and B
I let my weeds grow tall to support my flowers during storms. another example of a less than perfect strategy.
enjoy those beans!
wayne´s last blog ..Chronology of Science by Lisa Rezende – Science Mondays
Your photos are wonderful. I have to tell you, my crocosmia is ALWAYS lolling around. I’m jealous that you ever get yours to stand up. And those are some fine looking broad beans.
Keep up the good fight vis-a-vis slugs!
Elizabeth´s last blog ..Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
The beans look nice, I like them steamed too, with some new potatoes and butter.Hope the studio project goes well.
Oh yes, oh yes. Here too, but with less in the way of great photos.
elizabethm´s last blog ..Home again
Karen, I have had my own kind of hiding away whilst wondering if my garden will survive the drought! I simply have no idea how to plant anymore…Last year the too wet summer drowned the xeric plants this year I fear the drought will be taking out everything else! It’s been too hot for me to clean my mosaic studio. Btw, Your crocosmia is gorgeous~leaning over or not~gail
Gail´s last blog ..Wildflower WednesdayCup Plant
Derrick the weather man promised so sun in August, So Im waiting to see if he is right!!
I recognize those dirt worn fingers. We always seem to survive the trials and tribulations to garden another year. I am always anxious for autumn as it gets to this driest time here in So. Oregon.