Later Summer

We have continued to have a 'real summer' Summer - very hot and dry really all the way through June, July and early August. So, the watering from the well has continued on a daily basis. And some rather curious jobs have been undertaken - like filling the holes left by the many moles/molehills and made worse by the very dry weather!

The dry weather has meant that it has been impossible to keep the new wildflower area watered - and we are not really sure whether what has now appeared is predominantly weeds! 

But the majority of the 2,700,000 (!) seeds were perennial rather than annuals - so, should lie dormant until next year. In the meantime we'll strim the current growth - and then 'fingers crossed' for what appears next April/May.
In early August we had three days of storms and very heavy rain - and the results have been fascinating .... with the speed of growth being more like springtime than late summer. The vegetable garden, that was still doing fairly well due to constant watering, has put on a real burst ..... with the beans, brassicas and spinach putting on terrific growth in about 48 hours:

And the tomatoes, which had been doing well with all the sun, but have been quite small, have now suddenly got a lot bigger - with varieties like the 'Russian Reds' growing to half a kilo each:

In the hedgerows, that have been wilting in the heat, there are now swathes of sloes, blackberries and damsons:

It has been fascinating to see just how fast this can happen. The same 'revival and growth' has happened in the flower gardens - with rose bushes now on a third flowering; the wisteria also on a third flowering and growing three metres in as many weeks ... it is now near to reaching he back door, so growing half way around the house, a distance of over 60 metres; and flowers appearing in just a few days in the newly seeded beds by the pergola:

So, what the Autumn will bring is going to be very interesting - I have a feeling that the colours are going to be extraordinary.