RUE, GOGS AND DE-THINGS

Let me start on a fruity note - successful goosegogs - no sawfly (YET!) and no mildew (YET!)

Then I shall move on to new plants - here are some of the strawberry runners pegged down into pots.

Then I shall move on to b***** blackbirds and b***** thrushes. Not satisfied with eating ALL our red currants they are now devouring the black currants and raspberries. I feel a fruit cage coming on.

As I may have mentioned I have been scything (have signed up for a course in September at Sprint Mill, Burneside with Steve Tomlin) and this is the stream in the ditch after cutting the grass and raking it off. The right hand side is hedge bottom and this has been left for now but it will need tidying, debrambling etc.

Talikng of de-things - I am still trying to desquirrel the garden but failing - they are breeding faster than I can catch them. Rabbits seem to have nothing on squirrels.

Down by the Wendy House are a couple of self sown hypericums (thank you G and L) and some of the leaves are very vivid in colour.
This pic also shows goosegrass and vetch so weeding to be done.

Perhaps I should just grow vetch, goosegrass, ground elder, horsetails and bindweed with extra room for creeping buttercup, broad-leaved willow herb, dandelions, nettles and brambles.
Now there would be a wild garden!

This is the front of the house looking north from the kitchen door at the philadelphus and a double feverfew in the foreground - lots of white and scent ++ from the shrub.

One of R's favourite plants is rue. I am not so certain having been the victim of its nasty sap some years ago resulting in a load of blisters on my arms.

We have tried several forms but this is the most successful and, I think, the one growing in the garden at the Druidstone Hotel in Pembrokeshire.

The wind outside is restless - A Wayward Wind? (Sorry old song from the 50s/60s written by Stanley Lebowsky and Herb Newman and sung by Gogi Grant, Tex Ritter and Frank Ifield amongst others.)(Stop rambling, I hear a cry.)


I had a bonfire and burned a load of old twigs and stuff and the bank statements.

The ashes will be good for the currants and berries - potash.

So, in the week I am more ancient and R is still 21 here is a Rose - most appropriate.

I have just found a box full of old seeds - forgot I had them.
I am so disorganised sometimes I forget where I left myself.

Anyway - time to leave the blog for today.

Bye!