Summer Gardening

After the initial Spring blooms, Summer is the time when gardens really come into their own. Mine is bursting from the beds - showing me what needs to be split out in the Autumn. The fence has disappeared behind foliage and blooms and the weeds (for once) are struggling to grow due to lack of light.

I've propped up my tall plants, and find I'm having to water daily as it's been such a hot, dry Summer so far. Although at the time of writing, I am relieved to hear the gentle patter of light rain - my Rosa Rugosa will be pleased!

After No Mow May, which due to a lawnmower failure, has extended into June and the dandelions are threatening to take over my front lawn. Having recently discovered the joy of new turf which we recently laid on part of the back garden, I am tempted to do the same in the front. Then I remember the hard work... the digging up (by hand) of the old turf, digging over the soil, sifting out rocks, digging up weeds, evening out the level...I have decided to give grass seeds a go.

I've bravely borrowed a rotavator and after killing off the weeds (in the most humane way possible, of course), I shall be tilling the soil and scattering the seed. I have it on good recommendation from a friend, to scatter about three times the amount to compensate for bird feeding. I'll let you know how I get on!

Bird life is abundant in my garden - but at a cost. The greedy beggars empty out two seed feeders daily and a peanut feeder about 3 times a week. The peanuts are a particular

favourite of the lesser spotted woodpecker. The youngster, whom I watched being fed by a parent as he sat on the nearby bench, has now mastered the art of feeding himself and visits several times a day to top up.

Someone else who has been enjoying the peanuts is a field mouse, which I discovered creating a store in a box in my garage. Said box housed a drone my husband has been meaning to learn to fly for about 5 years now! Sadly the drone body, which is polystyrene became nesting material. The mouse, which I had previously ousted from the cushion storage box on the patio, this time gave it's position away by scrabbling around in the box whist I was searching untidy shelves for plant feed.

It wasn't until I emptied the box, that Mrs Mouse scrambled off and disappeared into the wood pile. The dogs were very interested in that particular part of the garden for the remainder of the day, but Mrs Mouse managed to evade capture. I left the empty drone box, with peanuts still in it on top of the wood shed, and I am hoping that she has nested elsewhere with her stash.

Do comment and tell us what's going on in your garden this season! And to make sure you never miss an update from us, subscribe via the form at the bottom of the page.