There is a faint glimmer of hope on the horizon, will we have rain Monday or not? Thunderstorms are coming but they won’t be everywhere here in the south west, I will just have to wait and see with my fingers crossed. My poor garden is drying out much faster than I can keep carrying the water where it needs it most, I can but hope that the roots of plants are still viable and they will come back next year. It is getting more difficult to find decent blooms to show you, but here are my six for this week…….
No 1
Another crocosmia, this time a small red one that suddenly appeared in the garden, but I think it will have to be moved as it is spreading into precious plants in the bog garden. I will wait until the rain comes eventually before moving it. Crocosmias have certainly done well this year in spite of the heat.
No 2
Rosa Iceberg has flowered as never before and has had no extra water at all. The flowers aren’t quite as large as usual but there are far more of them.
No 3.
Signs of autumn in the woodland, Cyclamen hederifolium are starting to pop up everywhere in the shade, they are showing through all the dead leaves that have fallen already.
No 4.
Malva moschata alba seeds very gently round the garden. I don’t have as much of it this year as usual so must save some seed to make more for next year.
No 5.
Gatekeeper butterfly on Lysimachia ephemerum. The gatekeeper seems to like this patch of flowers as I find it there day after day, I presume it is the same one. The Gatekeeper is the only butterfly that has 2 white spots on its wings.
No 6.
It was hay making time the other day. I got Derek the gardener, to cut my mini meadow so soon it should green up again, if the rain comes! When he was cutting it he disturbed a family of field mice, they scarpered in every direction. I hope they have all found each other again and found somewhere new to live.
There we have it for this week, will I be celebrating rain next Saturday, I hope so! Thanks go to Jon the Propagator for hosting once more, do pay him a visit to see what is happening in the rest of the gardening world.
Lovely to see the cyclamen popping up in the woodland. Hope the field mice found a new home.
Cyclamen always mean autumn to me Rosie, I’m not finished with summer yet, in spite of the heat!I also hope the field mice made a new home somewhere and weren’t disturbed too much by the lawnmower.
I’m also hoping that everything can just about hang on until the predicted rain. Our forecast gives us three days with chances by the looks of things. I just pray that they don’t disappear as we get nearer to the time!
Cyclamen hederifolium are a cheerful sight, albeit an indication that the year is moving on.
I just hope that the promised thunder storms arrive Allison and don’t pass us by as they usually do! Cyclamen mean autumn to me, more will start flowering if and when the rain arrives.
The Malva moschata alba is lovely. Funnily enough I spotted some Cyclamens yesterday – it seems far too early for such things! I’m setting my expectations low regarding the thunderstorms in the SW – they have failed to materialise the past few occasions they were forecast, but fingers are crossed.
I think we should all do a little rain dance Graeme, to make sure we get the necessary rain! I agree the cyclamen are far too soon, I can see a few more preparing to flower, hope they wait a bit.
Still no rain, I do feel for you Pauline. I so hope some materializes soon. Rosa Iceberg is doing amazingly well considering the drought. It is strange how some plants surprise in adverse conditions. Do post a video of the rain dance.
Ha ha, meet you under the dead oak at midnight Denise, with your video recorder! Some plants have done remarkably well, others gave up at the first sign of heat 6 weeks ago, I really don’t know what to do for the best with having to cope with flooding in the winter as well.
Love those little cyclamen!
My cyclamen are spreading nicely, thanks to the ants that spread the seed for me.
Wonderful photos! We’re definitely in need of some thunderstorms and rain here in Mid Wales.
Thanks Nikki, we have had some much needed rain at last, but need a lot more I’m afraid, if only it could all come at night time and keep everyone happy!
It’s lovely to have roses producing new flushes again, without any additional water, isn’t it? I have a few newish ones that are not doing as well though, and looking quite sad. As you say, it will be next year before we know if things have survived. What a lovely picture of the Gatekeeper with its distinctive markings – I hope I can remember this if I see a small brown butterfly I am unsure of!
Gatekeepers like brambles Cathy, so that says a lot about my garden and why we have so many Gatekeepers! As fast as we pull the brambles out, the birds are dropping seed to make more. We actually had some rain this morning, just a dribble but more is supposed to come tomorrow and I hope that will make a difference to my poor garden.
Lovely blooms and gatekeeper. It’s the same here, not a drop of rain, everything is withered and brown. xxx
I think my poor garden has given up Dina!I can only hope that it will come back next year.x