Saturday 25 July 2015

Did Somebody Say Summer?

Gentle Reader ~~~ Can you feel it? Do you smell it? There ~~~ just a fleeting glimpse and it is gone for a moment, but will be here again shortly ~~~ of course, I am talking about Autumn, for I can barely contain my excitement that my favourite season of them all is nearly with us once more ~~~

Summer has barely appeared in the west, our temperatures struggled to break into the 60's and the wind has blown and the rain has rained ~~~ and most days the heating is on, especially in the late evenings, as the days begin to shorten and jewelled sunset, cloud~filled skies bedeck the horizon, with soft, rose~gold light welcoming the evening, bidding the day a fond farewell, and slipping into the rich, velvety purple of a moonlight night ~~~

I am not complaining! I cannot take the heat so this cooler, more tempered weather has suited me well, although a little less wind and rain would not have gone amiss ~~~

Regrettably, I did not complete the ICAD challenge this year.  I was unwell, then Mum was unwell, and over a week went by, and I fell so far behind in the daily challenge that it suddenly became catchup and a chore. Art is not about being a chore, it is all about pleasure, and that is why I'm not taking part for the remainder, but who knows what I will get up to next?  Thank you all for your very kind comments and encouragement, and maybe next year some of you will take part too?

So, how does my garden grow?  With all the rain it grows rather well, despite the lack of warming sun, it is quite lush and verdant, and as we might expect the weeds are doing exceptionally well ~~~ {insert hysterical laughter here} I even managed to miss one week of putting out the fortnightly garden waste collection, so shame on me!

Nature is quite a miracle, she keeps things ticking over, even during periods of neglect ~~~ here are some pictures of what flowered ~~~

The firey orange of the Crocosmia Lucifer which has done particularly well
this year ~~~



with the purple beauty of the dwarf clematis ~~~



The gentle, innocent, and daisy~like flowers of Feverfew ~~~


and the delicate pink of a cultivated Verbascum ~~~


or the feathery blue of a Nigella ~~~ Love in a Mist ~~~


a patch of borage, perfect to garnish your Pimms or G&T ~~~


Lots of different grasses bring interest, movement, and neutral colour to the garden ~~~





and my favourite, native Mullein {Verbascum}



Now I have a conundrum {yet again!} and we must wait and see ~~~ I discovered a beautiful, peachy pink poppy growing on the side of the drive ~~~ it has all the attributes of the wild field poppies that are strewn over my entire garden, yet it is this pretty, and very unusual colour.



At first, I thought a bloom had bleached out in the sun, but then successive flowers opened in the same colour, so I have tied raffia around the stem to mark it out and will harvest the seed heads separately in the hopes that it will come true again in the future. Fingers Crossed ~~~ I would love to know if you have any suggestions or thoughts on this too ~~~

Here is the sunset that graced our westering skies last evening ~~~


Can you see the animal {be it cat, dog, or maybe even a unicorn?} galloping across the evening sky?  Remember, don't look too hard at my garden, just see all the beautiful blooms, the raindrops, and the sunsets ~~~ and ignore the weeds!

Until next time ~~~
Sincerely yours ~~~ Deborah

23 comments:

  1. No no no - we have another month of summer it's only midsummer :O) I'm sure the nest is yet to come.

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    1. An Indian Summer will suit me just fine ~~~ we are in the middle of gales today, I guess you are too!

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    2. No gales here but we have had some rain this afternoon. Not a good measureable amount though. We are getting low night temperatures too.

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  2. I can feel it too, just around the corner. Today has been wet & cold here & we put the Esse on which George so enjoys. It does feel like an Autumns Day, we have sent the day inside baking & knitting, not much of an outdoor Summer holiday for the children.
    Your flower photo's are beautiful, I never tire of seeing flowers.
    Fondly Michelle

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    1. Ah! I can just imagine the fragrant scents of your baking wafting through your cottage home ~~~ it will be the same here today, given the weather today. Jam making is on the menu too!

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  3. Your gardens are magnificent. It's feeling a little "fallish" some mornings here in NY also, but as much as I love it (my favorite season) knowing that the winter could be brutal makes me wish it would slow down just a teeny tad. Hope family are now well and stay well! Maybe I'll join the ACAD next year?

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    1. Thank you Jen ~~~ Fall/Autumn cannot come quick enough for me and I am glad I live in a world where there are Octobers ~~~

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  4. We have plenty of summer here if you want some! But I don't think you would! It's far too hot -- mid 90's F. for days on end. But a very good excuse for staying in side and writing/reading. Art for Gene. I've been missing in action, not sick, but seeing my book evolve. I'll have a whole lot to share eventually, but some things have to go in the process. I miss everyone, and I'll be back. So nice to take a short break and stroll through your garden and view your dramatic sunset. Just hearing about 60 degrees helps cool me down! So sorry you were ill, and your Mum. Hope things are looking better again. And good for you, letting go of a too big challenge and moving on to something else! Your work was amazing. It's one step at a time, and you never know exactly where the road is going to lead. Enjoying the journey! Thanks for sharing. Jane xo

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    1. Thank you Jane ~~~ so kind of you to drop by with your busy schedule!

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  5. Deb, we have a lot of summer left here in Va. It would feel really good to experience 60 degree days! We don't even drop to the 60's at night! Your flowers are lovely--I especially like your fiery orange Lucifer! I'm not familar with that flower--very dramatic and eye catching. The lovely pale pink poppy definitely begs to be saved for next year! I've never seen poppies that color! I'm hoping you and your mother are on the mend. Take care! Oh I think I did see a unicorn in your lovely photo of your western sky! ♥

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    1. Dear Martha Ellen ~ ah, yes, I remember those hot, humid Virginia days so well! I wonder if Lucifer would grow for you? Today's gales have sent the unicorn flying away!

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  6. A very hot day here. I wish for a glimpse of Autumn.

    The photos are lovely. Your garden has done well this Summer. Such pretty flowers. And the grasses are so interesting. What are the last ones called? I hope that different poppy grows for you next year. What an amazing color.

    Life is not always how we want it. You did very well with the challenge before you and your Mum got sick. Maybe next year you will try again with it. I agree with you that art should not be an obligation, just a joy.

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    1. Hello Dear Friend! How lovely to see you! I am not certain of the official name of that last grass but we call it Quaking Grass because it shakes and quakes in the breezes {and you know we have plenty of those!} It is prolific to the end and spreads everywhere. It also dries very well for arrangements and decorating. Deb xoxo

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  7. You have a gorgeous garden! Beautiful photos!

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    1. Thank you, Linda, so happy you stopped by the Garden!

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  8. Your cool summer days have made both the gardener and garden happy! There is so much beautiful color in your garden this week, Deb! I'm fascinated by the lovely grasses in your garden, too. I LOVE the new poppies you discovered. So glad that you thought to collect their seeds. It's always such fun to visit your garden... far away, but close to my heart! ♡

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    1. Good Morning Dawn ~~~ yes, the colour has popped up everywhere. I am so hoping the poppies come true again next year, and seeds will be handed to everyone who wants them. Deb xoxo

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  9. Well, I don't know about Autumn, nor indeed Summer. It feels like Winter here today! Temperatures are more like those considered normal in April. You have published some very beautiful photos today. I particularly like the close-up one of the Quaking Grass. Their seed-heads look like tiny Chinese lanterns!

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    1. Yes, more like Winter here too, and the same for tomorrow with gales! Ugh! Thank you for your kind comments about my photographs. Tiny Chinese lanterns that cast seed far and wide!

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  10. "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary" ~ I love seeing your garden beauties!!! And, that peach colored poppy...So pretty! Also, your words always flow so beautifully! Thank you so much for sharing your Shire garden with us! Now about your weather...Well, let's just say I am a beautiful shade of green and that I wear envy well! I have spent the last several weeks dreaming of weather like yours...It's still a few months away for me. So, until it arrives, I will live vicariously through you my dear friend and await more of your pretty photos and prose! Have the loveliest of weeks and, as always, hugs from me across the sea! ~ Donna E.

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    1. Why, thank you dear Donna for your sweet words ~~~ and I'm so sorry you are still melting in that heat! Sending waves of cooling gentle breezes Across the Pond ~~~ Deb xo

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  11. Your photographs beautifully capture the amazing flowers in your garden. As exotic as some of them look, I think my favorite is the simple feverfew--the juxtaposition of the yellow and white with the not-in-focus green background is lovely.

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    1. Thank you, Cathy. Yes, the feverfew has a simplicity that makes it sing. It is a perfect addition for small posies or tussie mussies ~ but beware, once in a vase they become very sticky and drop their stickiness all around!
      I confess, my favourites are the mullein images, for the same out of focus background reason!

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