Thursday 22 June 2023

We haven’t done very much in the garden this week because (a) it’s been raining, heavily, and (b) the poet hasn’t been home. I did dead-head some of the roses, but those that are left are looking a bit bashed. The one above is really pretty, but we’re delighted to see there are a few more yet to come.

The peach rose to the left of this group picture is a bit forlorn and there are insects on it, but it still smells delicious. Like a freesia, in fact. The pink ones are starting to get a bit rough around the edges. But the white rose is still looking magnificent.

Last week the poet did do a bit more at the front of the house, clearing those bushes that are damaging the cars. As soon as the bin men emptied the green bin, he filled it again. But these bushes are so big he can only do a few feet at a time.

Where my car is now (the yellow one), we can fit two cars side by side there’s so much room there. Where his car is (the blue one), there are still a few bushes in the way.

It’s also a lot of hard work. The trunks on these bushes are like tree trunks. The conifer trunks look slender in the picture of him stuffing stuff into the green bin. But the bush trunks behind him are the diameter of a football (soccer ball).

He still has the bit between here and the gates to thin out as well, so he has a long way to go yet.

We haven’t even had the weather to cut the grass this week. I expect I’ll be doing a bit more dead-heading over the coming days.

I’ve said before that this garden is full to bursting with roses. I’ve never been a roses fan, but these ones truly are stunning, and resilient.

These red roses are at the bottom of a couple of steps that lead from the top lawn to the bottom lawn. The colour is so vibrant, they seem to glow in the dark’

The red roses don’t smell either, but they are so pretty I really should cut some and bring them indoors.

They’re a bit riddled with flies, though, at the moment, after the storms. If I do bring any in, I shall have to hang them upside down for a few hours first.

The petunias have done so well that some of them are starting to die. But there are lots of buds waiting to replace those that have already gone over.

The fruit trees are starting to come on. The apples are about the size of a golf ball and the pears are just a little bit bigger. The apples will be ready first, though. They’re eaters and apparently they taste really very nice.

I must try and sample some apples this year. I use the pears for cooking, but the poet loves to eat a conference pear.

And that’s it from us until next time. How’s your garden doing this week?