Not a drop of rain has fallen for over a month and given it’s been so warm the gardens are looking pretty wilted. Flowers are fading quickly and many plants are now shrivelled. You can see in the first photo of the pond how the water level is dropping. Given the pond is full of tadpoles that have now developed their back legs I can’t top it up with tap water as it contains chlorine which is harmful to them. I do hope they grow up asap as no rain is forecast for weeks to come.
Talking of tadpoles, Buddy has become utterly obsessed with hunting them. He’ll sit at the waters’ edge all day if I’d let him. I’ve lost track of how many edging stones he’s knocked in!
Happily, the herbs are enjoying the dry warm weather and are bursting into bloom, I’m just waiting for the lavender to join the party now.
Littl’urchin now goes on a strawberry hunt each time she comes round and thankfully there are plenty to go around given the blackbirds are busy feeding strawberries to their chicks.
I grew these delphiniums from seed last year, usually they would be flopping in borders by now as well as being devoured by slugs. Here in the raised wall they are as happy as Larry and sturdier than I have ever seen them. The campanula is self-seeded, happily growing in a pot with a pear tree.
The roses seem happy enough with the drought…
the scent on warm sunny days is simply delightful.
I have my fingers crossed that they’ll bloom for months to come.
All eight sherry barrels are now planted with fruit trees I’ve been nurturing, along the fence I have plum, apple and pear. Oh, I must tell you that my apricot tree in the back garden has at least SIX apricots on it…..you may laugh but it’s miraculous to me, I’ve certainly waited many a long year for that much fruit.
I’ve also moved all my antique tools from the courtyard and displayed them on the new fence in the front garden. Hubs has me laughing as he thinks someone may steal them…..who on earth would want them besides me?
And Finally…
Eagle-eyed Littl’urchin spotted hundreds of newborn garden spiders hatching on a mint plant! When the sun went down, they all clustered together into several balls, I wonder if that was to keep warm and safe from predators? I’ve never seen that before, how fascinating!
Until next time, stay safe guys! xxx
We don’t get rain during the long summer months either, it is very difficult. Your garden still looks AMAZING.
Amalia
xo
Thanks Amalia. I can imagine how hard it must be to keep your garden alive!xxx
I totally understand your apricot excitement. When it takes years for a fruit tree to start producing, those first harvests are so exciting. I just planted my apricots, so have some years to go!
Thanks Brenda. Here’s to your apricots taking off. So many gardeners count fruit on young trees. Daughter knocked two apricots off last year and I almost wept!xxx
Congratulations re the apricots – I feel your joy. No rain here or in the forecasts.
Thanks Sue. Apricots sure are a treat for us. Oh, I have everything crosses for rain for you. It really is frustrating isn’t it? This is the third year of drought for us.xxx
Oww the colourful abundance, your efforts and patience are richly rewarded. Love that Buddy had become maternity matron to the tads, lol. As for the spiders…..eeeeeks…..*shudder*…..I don’t mind them but they insist of either crawling on me or getting under my feet, they have the walls and ceilings to play on! I’m afraid I’m with hubs, with the tools, some bugger will nab them ‘because they’re there’ but I hope not.
Thanks AnnMarie. Spiders are and have always been attracted to daughter who is terrified of them I have my fingers crossed for the tools, so far so good!xxx
Your garden is looking lovely even though there has been no rain. Rain is most elusive where ever you are these days, nerve wracking really!
I can just imagine our dogs looking in the pond at the tadpoles. I remember collecting tadpoles from rivers when I was young, I didn’t really know how to take care of them properly, which I regret now.
Your blog is looking good!
Yes the lack of rain everywhere is worrying! This is the third or fourth year of drought here. Buddy is determined to catch those tadpoles.xxx
You have the most precious piece of heaven for gardens here madam ! LOL
Simply beautiful and so organized (I believe your hubs when he said some of those tools can go missing because there are other gardeners that would collect such treasures !! ..)
Love seeing all those baby spiders (from a distance of course !) and tadpole stories hosted by Buddy 😉
How perfect is it that your little one can find such treats to taste and to learn from as well.
I’m afraid we are going into a drought period as well here .. and so many wild fires through out Canada it is scary yet again … can you say CLIMATE CHANGE ? .. I haven’t been posting because I am laid up with a few illnesses and injuries .. either it is over enthusiasm of Yin yoga or gardening ? haha .. or … old age ? OMG !!!!!! LOL
Great post .. made me smile big time, thank you !
Thanks Joy. The dry weather is determined to ruin the garden again this year….sighs. Oh, here’s to the wild fires dying down, how terrifying they must be for people and wildlife. Yes, there can be no doubt that the climate has changed worldwide. So many extremes now. I do hope you get better soon!xxx
There’s been no rain here and, unlike there, rather chilly with a brisk north-easterly wind.
It’s all looking really good, and hopefully you must be well pleased with it.
Thanks, and you too. xx
Thanks Flighty, here’s to you getting some rain. Yes, I’m pleased with how the garden is coming on, just need some rain to keep it alive.xxx
What a lovely show your roses are making, the perfume must be wonderful. Hope you get rain soon, the forecast for us in Devon is rain for a week from Saturday onwards, we certainly need it! Hope all your tadpoles survive!
Thanks Pauline, here’s to you getting a little rain. You can’t beat scented roses on warm days for sure.xxx
Not much rain to speak of here either. If it would just rain overnight and still be sunny during the day, that would keep most of us happy. Awww, Buddy made me laugh dangling over the edge of the pond tadpole hunting. Your roses are beautiful, I think this weather must suit them, mine are the best they’ve ever been this year.
Thanks Jo. Yes sunny days and rainy nights are the dream! I’ve had to ban Buddy from tadpole hunting as he would bake alive and still sit there. xxx
We’ve been blessed with enough rain to keep things going through the spring, but it’s drying now, and everyone has their fingers crossed that the coming heat won’t land us in a dry oven. It’s good that your herbs are doing so well — and interesting to me that the roses are trucking along, too. Will you be able to keep the trees in the barrels watered enough to keep them healthy? It’s a shame about the tadpoles in the pond, but I couldn’t help laughing at the amusement they’re providing Buddy.
Those old garden tools are wonderful! What a clever way to display them. I certainly do hope they don’t ‘walk,’ as we say!
Thanks Linda. I do hope you get some rain and the temps stay down. I’ve covered the soil with slate to keep the moisture in the barrels and have my fingers crosses the trees cope. So far so good re thetools!xxx
Your garden is looking wonderful how lovely to catch up with it again. You have some lovely roses. I remember when you acquired your orchard in pots. Are they getting so big now that they need barrels? I love your display of old tools. I hope you and your family are keeping well dear Dina.
Thanks Chloris. Good to know you remember my accidental orchard. Initially I had all the trees in trugs which they have completely outgrown, hopefully they will be happie rin the barrels, I plan on keeping them small. All good here, thanks.xxx
Your garden is looking stunning. We’ve had hot weather here too and my water butts are empty – luckily we have the river to water my greenhouse. Poor little tadpoles! Is it possible to let some tap water stand for a time, to allow the chlorine to evaporate? I do that with the water for my house plants. I’m glad that there are strawberries aplenty for Littl’Urchin. I’d worry about your antique tools too. They’re gorgeous and some people can be so mindless. I envy you your Delphiniums – the slugs got to mine! xx
Thanks Veggiemummy. Every gal should have a river!!! What a brilliant idea re leaving the water I had no idea chlorine evaporated, thanks for that! Oh, what a shame about your delphiniums, the raised wall seems to deter the slugs here.xxx
We certainly have been enjoying some sunny days and rainfall has been lacking.
I hope the water companies will not be talking about hosepipe bans!
I think your garden looks very colourful and I do like how you’ve displayed your antique tools 🙂
Enjoy your June days.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan. Yes, it’s only a matter of time before the hosepipe bans come in….sighs. Here’s to rain for us all.xxx
Goodness, those roses are glorious, dear one! I can almost smell them from here! We’re also 6 weeks or more into a drought, watering some part of the garden every day and going back inside to wait out the beastly heat. I’ve switched to so many drought resistant plants that the gardens are OK. The lawn’s gone dormant; we don’t care. And, as in your garden, the herbs are happy. It’s the large trees I fret about more than anything.
A rainy day would be heaven for all of us. None is in the forecast, but who knows? Maybe we’ll both get lucky. 💕
Your gardens always look beautiful to me…and apricots: WOW! What a treat those will be.
I have never had great luck with delphiniums. Yours are just wonderful!
Buddy is such a nut. I hope the tadpoles survive the drought and his invasions. I miss seeing Sam chasing Buddy and Annie around in circles. I bet you do, too. Heck, I miss all my 4-leggeds that have moved on before me.
I’m glad you have L’il Urchin to delight your heart. What a gift you and your beautiful garden are to her. 💕
Hang in there, dear friend. Thank you for all the beauty and care you offer the Earth.
Thanks Kitty. Yikes, six weeks and no rain? I do hope you get some soon and those trees hang on in there. I’ve not had much luck with the delphiniums either, now they’re in the raised beds the slugs can’t get at them. Oh lordy, do I miss Sam…sighs! Love and huge hugs to all.xxxx
We’ve got the opposite weather! While yours has been dry and warm, wilting flowers almost as soon as they open, we’ve had cool overcast days, letting flowers last longer than ever. Shame about the pond — here’s to hoping for rainfall to replenish.
Loving those gorgeous roses blooming away! Know just what you mean when the warmth of the sun releases all those amazing scents. I heard about painting small stones to look like ripe strawberries to deter the birds (leaving more fruit for humans). My aunt’s kids do the same in her garden, picking and eating, learning to recognize ripe fruit from unripe.
Gorgeous delphiniums! They look very happy indeed. It’s lovely to get a look around your garden. I do miss seeing Sam romping his way through and Curly Cat basking somewhere…
It’s not often our weather switches like that! Oh yes, roses in the sunshine is the way to go. That sounds like a great idea, painting stones. Yes, it’s awful without Sam and Curly cat. Shame about My Beautiful Boy too….if only they could live longer. Thanks Anne.xxx