We have had an old Poplar tree and stump removed which, at a guess, deposited a couple of tonnes of sawdust in the Japanese garden. This tree had been pollarded years ago but it was time for it to go. It was one of the original planting from the late 1800's/ early 1900's so it was sad to see it go. The noise made by the surgeons dropping huge chunks down was quite intense! It took over a day of solid work to bring it down.
We lost an old Medlar too and whilst they were at it they took old dead wood out of our 100 or so year old Cercidophylum which has improved the tree no end. Visually it is better but of course hopefully the tree will fare better now it has had a cut. Fingers crossed. It is trying.
The Veg garden continues to provide all manner of Veg we have grown from seed including Beets and Carrots of different colour, Spinach, Chard, Salads, Courgette, Beans, Cucamelons......time to crop the Gourds and Squashes this week before the frosts come. Important to crop these with a good stalk attached so as the fruit can harden off and store for a while as and when you want to use them. We have an unusual stripy looking Squash in a Butternut shape: Honeyboat.
HG noticed the Quince trees were hanging a bit too low for the tree to be happy this week so we cropped a couple of trays to help the tree out. Branches lifted, weight off! What a pretty fruit Quince can be. I like the furry exterior and the way a leaf generally comes with the fruit as you crop it making it extremely photogenic!
We have been busy pruning out the flowering stalks of our Blackberries which we train onto the exterior and interior of our fruit cage. I love this job, it is very satisfying seeing a mess turn to beauty again. Rubus fruticosus 'Oregon Thornless' which bears large black juicy berries (even afte a heatwave but we seemed to have cropped and pruned in super speedy early time this year as a result).
Much to do. All the while nature is moving around us. We have started to see Mole hills again. We have Solitary Bees all over the lawn near the VG pond doing their thing. White fly all over some of my crops ( aaaaggghhh!) and birds of prey, Peacocks, Sheep, Frogs and Toads.
Great time to be in the garden. Cooler mornings, warm blue sky days. Much easier to work in and beautiful to boot. It has been a gloriously hot Summer season but too hot to work in. Wonderful when swimming in the sea! but the garden has struggled and we have been on watering duty three times a week (household pots) and everyday we can and have time for in the VG with sprinklers being moved around. Never enough time and a constant thought especially when planting out new crops with a weekend in view.
We made it though and now onto Autumn.
How did you all get on?
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