September 12th

Deadheading has been an enjoyable job

It’s a relief that temperatures have dropped a little recently. We’ve experienced torrential downpours and thrilling electrical storms, but amazingly nothing in the garden has been damaged. Plants have perked up and look refreshed and the water butts are full to the brim. I’m going around deadheading, hoping to encourage more flowers – a nice gentle job on a warm day.

Another enjoyable job has been cutting back lavender – being surrounded by the scent was totally relaxing, give or take the odd cross honey bee! I must admit to a little guilt as, although the flowers had gone over, there were still plenty of butterflies and bees on the plants. In one bed we have a ‘cushion’ of lavender on each corner and two half way along the bed, bought for just £1 each before an open weekend a few years ago. They’ve grown so well and really enhance the area. John has also been busy pruning the box topiary.

I’ve been thinking ahead to the next gardening year, taking plenty of cuttings, mainly from penstemons, sage, rosemary and lavender along with the scented leaf pelargoniums. We grow a mixture of David Austin roses and old-fashioned shrub roses, and although the older varieties normally only have one flowering it’s lovely to see more flowers on ‘Comte de Chambord’.

Our crops have done well too. We’ve had plenty to eat, although I’m puzzled as to what chewed the top growth off two rows of carrots. Tomato ‘Tigerella’ is cropping abundantly, our favourite tomato.

My Highlight

The autumn bed in the orchard is full of yellow daisies, they’re so cheerful!