Six on Saturday this week comes from The Fortnight Garden towards the end of July – changeover time in the garden! When I have to cut down the early flowerers and suddenly feel I have to ‘do’ something, rather than just ‘enjoy’, we have reached ‘changeover time’ in the garden. This means another spell of hard work. This year I have to be very careful as my back injuries have left me ‘fragile’ in the words of the chiropractor.
1.Early flowering plants are coming to an end and that means a lot of cutting down during the next week! As you can see, alchemica and salvias were plentiful, and the knautia is now looking haggard too. I am also cutting the ox eye daises down to the ground and cutting the nepeta hard back for a second flowering in September.
2.Some of the bees and butterflies are also looking a little ragged by now!
Large White 
Red Admiral 
Honey bee 
Another Large White 
Peacock 
White bottomed bumble bee
3.The Crocosmia are in full flow now – absolutely gorgeous!
4.And now for something new. The Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’ are just starting to appear – the garden is changing from blues to yellows – and of course the pinks of the Japanese Anemones!
5.The Echinacea are also setting off, and although the Nepeta will have gone and the lavender is nearly over, the bees and butterflies can transfer to these flowers. They will also have the sedums and little later, and there are a few Verbena Bonariensis – perhaps I should try to have a few more of these.
6.And finally, the fruit watch.
And so here we are, changeover time in the garden at the end of July. I can hardly believe that we are coming to the end of the seventh month of the year, and not just any year but 2020. This time last year was the concert season and I was baking – not this year – we are all ‘social-distancing’. Thank you to The Propagator for encouraging us to stay in touch every week, and for providing a goal at the end of what were sometimes endless weeks.
How I’d love to be able to grow quince well here (south east Ireland) but our season is simply not long enough nor hot enough. Enjoy!
My tree was planted ten years ago and has fruited well almost from the beginning. Last year the fruit split, but this year it is coming along nicely and I think I am heading for a good crop. I am lucky!
Blessed!
Lots of lovely images here, so nice to see the bees and butterflies. I love the young furry quince fruit. Red Devil is a crocosmia that keeps coming up, it is supposed to be a better colour than Lucifer, is that right? Don’t work too hard!
Thank you and you are quite right – my mistake – Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’
My garden is the same, lots of cutting back work this coming week. I have to get to it early before it’s hot. Too late today! My father loved quince. He’s make a jam sort of thing he called “guggle.” It was barely sweet. No one liked it but my father!
I make jelly and membrillo with the quinces, but I also bake them whole and then freeze. A single quince heats up nicely in the microwave and I love it with creme fraiche! ‘Guggle’ is a new one on me!
Some lovely photos! The crocosmia is lovely.
Thank you! I have found the strict lockdown very difficult and lost all desire for creativity. It is only recently that I have wanted to to use the camera in a more interesting way. The garden has been very patient with me!
yes it is time for a tidy up here as well. i was hacking back geraniums the other day.
Quite sad – it means time is passing – the 7th month of the year is almost over!