In the Garden - June

Activity in the garden has quietened down a bit in June. It's a good job really, as Martin has been working away in London for a couple of weekends so I've been home alone!!

Saying that, we have potted on the last bits and pieces out of the greenhouse - the chillis, courgettes and squash, and I have painted the second raised bed, so we have still done a few bits and pieces.

The weather this last week or so has been lovely and it's been nice to be able to be out, either just doing a bit of gentle pottering, or having a sneaky sit in the shade with a drink and a good book.

There is also lots of watering going on!





All the fruit and veg is coming on really well and we've harvested radishes, watercress and our first couple of bowls of strawberries.

Strawberries from the garden are so different from supermarket strawberries, they really do taste of sunshine.




The apples, cherries and blueberries are all also starting to fill out, so hopefully these will all do well this year.

The salad bed is also looking very promising, with both red and golden beetroot, radishes, spring onions and Little Gem lettuce coming along well.










Apart from a few exceptions, the borders are looking very green at the moment, with all of the spring perennials having been cleared away.








I have managed to pick some lilac roses though, which have done better than ever this year.  They don't cope very well with wet weather as the rain makes the buds 'ball' and then we don't get to see the full bloom. The sunshine this year has made a welcome change and we've been able to see them in their full glory.  They smell lovely too.






The pots and baskets on the patio are still giving a really good show, with the hanging baskets filling out nicely and the first of the lilies making a show in the summer sunshine.















The hostas are also looking good, having managed to avoid much slug damage at all this year.

Still to come, but well on the way, we have Agapanthus, Sweet Peas, lots of Crocosmia, Hemerycallis, Rudbeckia and a white climbing rose.





Jobs for the next month include lots of pruning, watering and feeding and, hopefully, the painting and hanging of the new front gate.  Watch this space!!

I'll see you back in the garden in July.  If anyone wants me in the meantime, I'll be in the garden with a good book and a Pimms - with home grown strawberries of course.