Exactly a week ago I was despairing, our sandy soil was turning to dust in places and in others it was like concrete. I was trying to weed in readiness for our Open Gardens weekend next month, wondering if it would be easier with a crowbar. Everywhere it looked more like an August garden, even Charlie the Springer was trying to find a shady spot to keep an eye on me, and no he didn’t damage anything – for one so bouncy he was remarkably subdued. The question of the day was “why can nettles carry on growing when everything else gives up?”.
Anyway a few days of gentle warm rain, and rain all day yesterday, has made the difference. We woke this morning to sunshine and a magical garden with mist enveloping the surrounding farmland. The garden has burst back into life and a walk around reveals that in fact the plants are still growing, more and more are flowering and everything looks good (even the nettles!). Alliums in the only formal part of the garden looked jewel like first thing, the sun bouncing off the rain drops on each flower head. Hesperis matronalis or Sweet rocket is seeding itself all around in exactly the right places and is one of my favourites at the moment. Aquilegias or Granny’s bonnets are suddenly in flower, the one pictured looking very bonnet like. We grow the older shrub roses which seem to thrive in our sandy soil; in flower already is Madame Alfred Carriere, another favourite, growing up a very old apple tree. Unfortunately both dogs seem to have had a mad moment today and one of the stems has been bitten in half, next job will be to remove it carefully and we will enjoy the unopened flowerbuds in a vase inside. However for now the sun is still shining and weeding beckons …..
Tales from a Country Garden 
The rain was badly needed,the weeds will start to grow now. When is your open date?
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