This week it has rained. And rained, and rained and, just for good measure, thrown in some more rain. In one week we've had the whole monthly allowance of the stuff! But on Sunday it let up long enough for me to be able to make the most of a nice day (and good damp fertile soil) to get some hard work done in the garden. Slightly perturbed since four of my lovely, healthy pumpkins were savagely eaten by nameless slimy beings (my own fault, of course), I had held back from planting anything else, save yet another humiliating dose of slug rampage should come my way. But in the nice weather, it really was a good time to plant out some of my veg seedlings and do some much-needed weeding. My policy with weeding is thus: if it effects vegetables in any way (onions will definitely not tolerate competition), or decorative beds start to become overrun with weeds, then they will be pulled. Weeds in the lawn are fine, and also in the 'wild' part of the garden nearest the compost bins, where lovely, large, looming beauties are positively encouraged.


[The purple sprouting has sprouted, and then gone on to flower! How beautiful are these blousy blooms?]

The weather held, and I was able to plant out the rest of the peas, the 'Pickwick' runner beans (a short variety (max. 18 inches), good for windy or exposed plots, with good-flavoured beans) were planted, staked to their a-frame and tied on, each and every pea got the same treatment (that was an awful lot of peas and string!). Sweetcorn found a new home in the ornamental beds - it's a structural plant, why not? All in all, the garden was graced with 3 1/2 hours of pure gardening - it was fantastic. The red squirrels came and fed from our feeders, eyeing us with suspicion at our every move, yet perfectly happy to remain there whilst we ploughed away.


[Variegated lemon balm 'Melissa officinalis 'Variegata'' - a bargain find from a plant sale, all of 50p]

The poppies are going to open any minute, just in time for a rather nasty rain storm, so that they lose all of their gorgeous papery-thin petals - or am I just being overly pessimistic? The wallflowers have been out for a couple of weeks, their heady warm scent reminding me of better things. Enchanting bees with every fresh breeze that blows. Our three new roses from David Austen, Rosemoor, William Morris and Félicité Parmentier seem to have settled into their new positions, and are sending up tiny leaf buds in earnest. They will be fed soon, and top-dressed with fish, blood & bone. Zephérine Drouhin, planted much earlier in the year is now covered in leaves and looks happy, albeit swamped with wildflower seeds.



[a gorgeous poppy head, one of many]

The hawthorn bush (top photo) at the end of the garden, apart from smelling absolutely amazing (halfway between almond and a sweet vanilla - I have yet to smell one that is even slightly reminiscent of rotting flesh, as some people describe), has the most fantastic sprays of white flowers. Altogether a romantic-looking bush, knarled and intertwined trunks, with beautiful oakish leaves. I have proclaimed it to be my favourite tree, and love it as such. How could anyone fail to love the home of the fairies?

Spinach has been planted and cloched, to protect them from a slimy invasion, and the pumpkins that didn't get eaten - 12 in all - will be planted out tomorrow, having also been cloched to protect them from wandering hungry slugs.


[Melaleuca squamea - swamp paperbark, from the plant sale also, a native of Tazmania]

Nettles are coming up in one part of the garden, and as well as being fabulous food for certain caterpillars, it's also time to turn the greatest survival experts green with envy - I'm going to make nettle string. Apart from being randomly painful if you're not always alert, it is an incredibly useful skill to acquire. From making bracelets, to sewing and knitting with the stuff, to just being able to have string whenever you need it - it's a skill that is being sadly lost. If all goes to plan, I'll post pictures, if not, then I'll just sit and weep gently with my bottle of calamine lotion.


[A Very Happy Blackcurrant bush, last year this same bush was affected very badly by mildew, a result of the warm damp summer we had here last year. It has recovered every bit thanks to a harsh prune and destroying the spores as best as possible.]

Oh, and the green promises are also still being kept, I'll update more on that in due course!