I want to soak up this time of year-breath in the Summer Jasmine ,take stock and capture it all.

I'm ready and desperate for our holiday-its been a full season what with one thing and another.Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining -just worn out I think!

I need to rest and think .

We shall go away for 2 weeks,not just yet ... Aug 17th-Spet 3rd we will close.

Devon one week ,cat sitting in a friends house then Turkey back to our old haunt. We didn't intend to go this year but we felt the urge-why go somewhere else when you love a place? (We got a great deal to,that helps) I'm ready to go today!!

We started a new project in the garden-ready for a new arrival-It should come today-I will let you know if it does-Happy weekend.

Tx

Summer Lovin..

Anyone remember tv prog (and book) Dan Pearson -Garden at Homefarm. The best garden programme ever. I loved this Barn garden-Lush!

Summer flowers

Aghh Summer...

Have a flower filled ,chirpy weekend Txx

The final part of the guided tour..The shop

The shop
Courtyard area
Ede is taking it easy for the holidays!!

Cutting field today...

These shots were taken this morning-the sun appeared-hurrah!

These are some of my favourite flowers for picking.

Scabious and Wild Carrot
The Sweet peas are flowering their little socks off!
Nigela hispenica-lovely seed heads,lasts ages cut,doesnt drop its petals .

Panicum grass-my favourite grass,dances.
Zinnias-half hardy Annuals . They have been fantastic this year!
Dahlias-I adore (when they send you the right ones!!)
Cosmos-self seeded from last year-good for late summer colour.

Garden photos no3...The cutting field

The area for growing cut flowers is only in its second year. This year has been more of a challenge. Tulip blight,I have never had that problem before ,so no Tulip planting now for 3 years! Greenfly and then the drought early on. The hardy Annuals sown (a lot self sow themselves happily) in Autumn did so well but Spring sowing has been a dead loss-too dry.

I think its the hardest area to deal with ,perhaps because I don't like straight lines!! Mainly because I'm so busy ,but been under no illusions its very hard work. Hard to make it look attractive when you actually have to pick the flowers or leave them to seed!

I wanted to take some photos today but its so dark. I shall take some more and post them when it brightens up??

Someone emailed and asked if I had a gardener-No ,I don't I love doing myself ,but I do have lots of help with heavy stuff from my Husband. I have a young boy that comes and waters the plants in pots and his Dad kindly takes my green waste to recycling centre. Amazing how much waste it creates. We are Organic (hence the Greenfly)

I shall post what works for me and what I wont be growing tomorrow.

Garden photos no2...The Front Garden

May time- Alliums

Garden photos no1.. The back garden

Come on in... As requested - More garden photos. All this week I shall do a series of Garden photos

Today . The Back garden ...

Potted History-

I grew up here ,born here in fact. My mum died when I was 7 and so I was brought up by my father. I keep moving but returning and came back to look after him when he got ill . I worked at a Herb farm and became hooked on plants . I started to bring the garden back to life -20 odd years ago now. There have been a lot of changes , mistakes and money spent! Lots of lessons learned over the years and a natural style has evolved. The garden is an eclectic mix of perennials,grasses and structural plants . Scent is very involved too . All the paths are brick edged (using them from the old walls that used to surround the perimeter. Pea gravel under foot and no grass whatsoever-no moving! Lots of grass paths and a huge lawn have been culled over the years and I have never regretted it-I love gravel it shows up the plants and maintenance free . I try to have interest and colour all year round. The colour scheme sutle pinks ,silvers etc. I shall talk about colour and plants another day.

Please feel free to ask me any questions.