The sunshine of late July beckoned us to the woodlands and with it being such a busy month in the garden too, I am a little behind on my garden diary.
I signed off in June with the sight of our onion crop harvested and drying on the raised beds. Soon after, the garlic was gathered up, dried in the open air and plaited. I wove in little handles so that they could be hung up for storage.
Within days, the weather changed and lightning storms were forecast. We eagerly anticipated the rain’s arrival, which would bring an end to the stifling humidity of water-saturated air. Little speckled showers came and went.
Then, one evening, we saw the oncoming storm and headed to the fields to watch. I have never seen such a clear divide between a summer sky and the swirling mass of darkness across the horizon.
It rained for several days and as the dry ground was replenished, we watched our resident snail venture out for a daytime drink at the stream.
The garden itself, which had been on the cusp of a new harvest, suddenly burst into life.
Our first radish crop of the year was followed a few days later, by the season’s first lettuces.
The rhubarb was moved as part of the winter garden re-design and is thriving in its new placement by the stream. As tasty as it looks, I am letting the rhubarb have a year to settle before I start cropping again next year.
After just four weeks, the onion beds were full to bursting with broccoli, courgette and pumpkins plants, all pushing up against the protective bird netting. Last year our courgettes were destroyed by snails before they even grew their first full leaves. This year I kept the seedlings on my kitchen windowsill, then surrounded them with a copper mesh and gravel when I transplanted them into the raised beds. So far, so good.
A peek under the netting revealed newly formed pumpkin buds. It is amazing to think how quickly they will grow between now and October.
Just as we reached the start August, the hollyhocks burst into flower. The little trumpets that announce the height of summer.
The flurry of work is now done. August, for me, is the month of enjoying the garden, of long summer days that merge into beautiful evenings.
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Wonderful bounty!
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Thank you Sheree 🙂🌿
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So much food! Love the dinosaurs too. 😊
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Ha … yes they snuck into shot again 🦕 🦖
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My garden has been invaded by toys … my photos may never be sensible again :p
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Since they are small, you can make them vanish then magically reappear, your children will never know it happened. 😂
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This is genius, epic level parenting 🙂
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If you say so! ❤️
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Beautiful.
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Thank you! 🌿
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I have never seen a snail drink,
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I am pretty certain this one will be swimming next :p … it seems completely bewitched by the stream and spends hours there.
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Absolutely gorgeous!
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Thank you Becky! 🙂
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That was quite the 180 degree turn friend snail performed! 🙂
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He is quite the acrobat! I have never seen a snail do that before 😀
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Great pics! The approaching storm looks amazing! And love the plaits 👌
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Thank you Kellie 🙂 My garlic plaits look uncannily like the friendship bracelets I made when I was little 😀
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What a beautiful, productive garden! Impressed with the garlic weaving, but the dinosaurs in the water really caught my eye.
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Thanks Laurie … I’m getting all sorts of interlopers in my photographs of late! 😀
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Hi Laurie, they’re back in there today, cooling off in this hot weather 🙂
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Beautiful bountiful garden. I’m so glad you give yourself time to enjoy it. We house sat once for a lady with a fabulous garden but she said she never got any pleasure from it because every time she sat down, she spotted something that needed doing!
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Oh no! I think with five children you have to learn to be okay with a little bit of untidiness and jobs left for another day – and August and December are my sweet spots for a little bit of time off 🙂
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A lovely tour
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Thank you! 🙂 I’m getting back on track with posting now … I don’t know how you do it! 😀
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My parenting days are over and so is my working life – now I can indulge my creative outlets. 🙂
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The slugs have devoured my squashes and pumpkins, hoping I might still get a courgette though. Will have to try the copper and gravel next year. Hope you have better luck with pumpkins. Rhubarb likes water so will be very happy next to the stream.
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Really recommend it – the copper mesh comes in a long ribbon and I cut it to size. I even tie it around plant pots 🙂
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What a great garden, hope the dinos don’t eat too much!
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Luckily the dinos just play in the stream … it’s the cabbage white butterflies that eat all the veg 🙂
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As you began to describe the rains, I began to smell those rains! Right now, in central Washington state, we are in sore need of a good drenching downpour. Not until September, however.
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The first rains after a dry spell are always the best 🙂 I hope you don’t have to wait until the autumn for yours x
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Totally love your photos and produce along with that dividing skyline.. We got all our onions up which are drying nicely.. your radish look delicious.. And the Hollyhocks I didn’t plant any last autumn.. But I have had grown several self sets from seeds where the ones were before.. So I was happy about that..
Wonderful to see the delights of your harvest and produce…
And that Rose, just stunning..
Hope you are all well Mrs TP… Apologies I have not been a regular visitor lately… Your garden certainly flourishing..
Love and well wishes.. Huge Hugs
Sue ❤ 🙂 🙏
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Hello Sue – no need to apologise – the lovely summer weather is keeping us all away from our screens and I think that can only be a good thing 🙂 I feel like most of the hard garden work is done now … and we’re all looking forward to just enjoying long days in the garden. Hope all is well with you, love and hugs x
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I agree a good thing… Enjoy each and every bright new day Mrs TP.. and your beautiful family… Thank you we are well, much love returned 🙂
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Your images are so amazing in this post!
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Thank you so much Tierney! 🙂
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You live and learn – I didn’t know anything could stop a courgette in its tracks. We had some plants stolen once but that;s the only time I recall trouble for the monstrous marrow juggernaut.
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Stolen! 😮 …. ah well, we were plagued by mutant snails last summer after there was months of rain and my second son and I hand-removed 3000 of them. I think they moved onto the courgettes because they had devoured everything else!
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what a beautiful garden! love the pics👍🏼 thank you for sharingg💞
Follow @everythingtips for tips and recommendations if interested! It would mean a lot to me!🥺🤍
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Thank you very much – I’m glad you enjoyed the garden tour 🙂
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