THE WILDERNESS EXPERIMENT AND RAMBLING ON

Well not quite but a lot of lawn is now long grass.

Saturday morning, our new parasol has arrived and it is pouring with rain!

Up in the wood then long grass and wild flowers are a treat. There is what I can only call a clearing at the far  end of the garden, surrounded by trees and with a view out over the countryside to the west. There is an old square fence post as a seat and it is a retreat from the hectic world (well not so hectic now we cannot go anywhere.)

 However down in the lower garden where I would mow the grass for extensive lawns, the grass has been left with only a scattering of paths cut through it.

 I would like more wild flowers in there but it is early days. We did have yellow rattle but it seems to have gone so that will have to be corrected.

I was surprised to find how many yellow flowered plants there were by the pond - wild yellow loosestrife and there are large clumps of yellow flag iris some of which has variegated leaves and the mimulus, monkey flower, has self seeded itself as usual. In fact a few plants have appeared by the compost heap.

 Further up on the banking are the large shrubs of Brachyglottis and hypericum.















In the long grass area there are three grey foliage trees - Eucalyptus, weeping silver pear and grey poplar.

I have begun picking the red and black currants - very early this year but it is war! Me versus the blackbirds.

The roses are doing well, you have already had the Rambling Rectors pontificated about but there others - The wild dog rose, Climbing Golden Showers from Davis Austin Roses (we have two), a rose we call the Kirk rose as it was our son-in-law's parents who gave it to us and a red rose on the shed also given to us - by A and P. This last rose is entwined with Lonicera halliana and a clematis montana. 

 
 

The lawns were wet yesterday so no go with the sit on mower - it just clogs up - so out with the other one and a long walk. Still it always looks tidier after a mow. 

S been again and found the source of the spring is under the roots of a willow tree! Being a willow it will not mind.
I have cleared out a lot from the smaller shed - an big old rug, part chewed by mice, and a rusty set of golf clubs - went to the tip where the men said they could not help me hoist the heavy rug up into the skip because of me possibly contaminating them with the virus! 
So I left it at the bottom and either they will have to lift it up or - well, I have no idea. Their problem now.
We await a heatwave though this far north a two day one! 33C expected in London, perhaps 26C here.

So on with the dead heading and weeding.

In the garden there are one or two plants I find special but probably not for any special reason - like the variegated horse radish.
Another is the wild red campion at the woodland fringes. En masse it is a spectacular plant and flowers and flowers before setting seed for next year.

 R bought an evening primrose last year but not a yellow one - a soft pink - and we thought we had lost it. But, no, it is beginning to flower, fighting its way through the overplanting in the bed by the paving. 

Things grow so fast, Doc is almost submerged by the deutzia and a mound of thyme, a little trimming needed there. 

This Doc (well ex doc) also needs a little trimming, if the barbers ever open again. I have threatened to grow a mullet or at least have a ponytail!

That would scare the blackbirds off the currants!


Thursday, 8 am and 20C, going to be a hot day. It looks like the grey squirrels have predated the house martin nests but they are not giving up and building a new one.

We have had the new brolly up at last.