SUMMER GARDEN ~ COMING INTO ITS OWN

| gaiainaction
The lavender is really at its best right now, after the bit of heat the last few days, and one solid day of refreshing rain last Sunday.

I love growing feverfew, it is not only a great herb, it also looks beautiful in the garden among the lavender and the marigolds.

  • Blue hydrangea, my favourite in colours
  • A bit of tansy growing among the other plants, in late summer it will give splendid yellow flowers.
And still the comfrey flowers, and it is visited constantly by the bumblebees. I noticed three different types of bumble bee today, this one a beauty, very light colouring, very fluffy, and large. As far as I know it is a carder bee, Bombus muscorum. The other two, a tiny type, and a regular one with two yellow bands, probably Bombus lucorum.

Among all the wild and garden flowers this summer I am still also growing some vegetables, and many herbs too of course. The large garlic was a succes this time, and the garden peas are doing real well.

This is the tall mullein plant of which I am growing a few this summer. The leaves are medicinal, but I have not used them so far.
  • Not the red poppy of which the garden has been so full, but a lovely specimen all the same.
  • And more lavender, beautifully scented.

This is just a little update at the end of this month of June, midsummer has just passed and I love the very early bright mornings, awaking at 4 o’clock very often while the first light appears in the Eastern sky, and the birds are singing, wonderful! And while the countries of continental Europe are scorching hot, we had a mellow feel to the day this afternoon with summer scents wafting up from the damp but warm earth, such a delight.

Henry James knew about these happy feelings when he said ““Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”

Are you enjoying a wonderful summer in nature?

16 thoughts on “SUMMER GARDEN ~ COMING INTO ITS OWN”

  2. We are! It’s a little hot for me to venture out far today, but we know the flowers will be ripening and will be all the more splendid to enjoy when it cools down a touch.

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  5. What a lovely garden you have this year! And GARLIC! I am very impressed. I have always wanted to grow it. Our summer in New Jersey has been rather nice. A good soaking every few days has kept the gardens happy. This week is a bit hot for me (90’s every day). But it is New Jersey and I have no complaints.

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    1. We have had warmer weather in the past week now Jodie which is very nice and well deserved for all the people in wet and cold Ireland, however we are experiencing very dry weather at the moment. The garden looks lush though. Thank you for your kind words 🙂

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  6. It is wonderful now the interminable rain has stopped. Like you, I have lavender, although the bees seem more attracted by the poppies now the phacelia is on the wane.

    I’ve not heard of mullein before – is is perennial? It’s been great to have so much phacelia for the bees but I’d like something a little more permanent (and manageable).

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    1. Hi Helen, it has been a great week here, dry and warm for a change 🙂 much enjoyed! Mullein is an annual as far as I have experienced, I had one plant last year and it seeded itself during last autumn and is now massive and flowering, the leaves are amazing and very soft. It is a medicinal plant, used for ear complaints as far as I know, but I have never used it myself. I am just fascinated by herbs and medicinal plants, and the majority of my flowers are medicinal plants. Hope you had a restful weekend.

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      1. Thank you for the information about mullein, Agnes. I will try to remember the name so that I can buy the seeds if I see any.
        Last year, I had one or two small bergamot plants but they have grown bigger/stronger this year. I’m not sure if this is an annual, too, but the point is that once a plant establishes itself you don’t have any problems keeping it.
        I hope you enjoyed your weekend – I was busy in a nice way 😊

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