Early August coffee catchup

 Hello m' luvelies,

It's a glorious morning here at Long Mizzle. The sun is just starting to fill the top patio, where it will sit hot all day. I'm not one for basking in the sun, much preferring early mornings and evenings, when the light is sweet and magic.  Happily I don't have to rush off anywhere, and project 'Marie Kondo the living daylights out of the wardrobe' will just have to wait until later. Here are some pictures taken last night, at around 9pm, once the sun had dipped down behind the hedges and fences. 

Sometimes I am serenaded in the garden by a little pink Ukelele playing wandering minstrel -

 

 

The minstrel's services will be paid with apples -

Unfortunately I lost three dahlias by leaving the tubers in the ground over winter: 'Heatwave', 'Spanish Dancer' and 'Totally Tangerine' all gone. I suspect they got too wet and rotted - lesson learnt! The orange 'Pooh' type are positively unruly though.

Dahlia 'Mary Eveline'

Dahlia 'Dilys Ayling'

 

 Whilst at the carbooty during the week, Ol' Glass Eyed Mumrah and I were sitting down having a coffee when we got chatting with a nice couple that had brought a pale leaved variegated Canna. As we were admiring it, the chap spontaneously ripped a bit of tuber off for me. We had a good laugh as the action had sprayed soil and plant debris down his wife's top - so she had a bra full of soil!

The offending tuber , safe for transit in a zip bag. 

Monty Don isn't the only one who walks around with a pocketed zip bag.

The outdoor tomatoes are out performing the greenhouse ones - which is an absolute first. Usually they get blight before the fruit sets. They've certainly had the sun but I haven't been watering them. Thankfully the soil is rich and deep with organic matter. I have two new favourites that make Gardener's Delight seem a bit bland in comparison - Tigerella, and Sweetie - so delicious!

I've had enough of beetroots already, and I haven't even eaten any yet. Here's a row that's been harvested and replaced with purple sprouting broccoli. 

 

 There was a bit of a disaster in that ALL my chillies lovingly raised from seed got munched to the ground by mutant molluscs. Luckily B&Q mark chillies down to 50p and pop them on their bargain racks each year.

 

Last year I made a fig pit on the middle terrace. The idea being the roots, which can be quite rampant, would be restrained by bricks and tiles; the plant would put its energies into fruit, not excessive foliage. Well, the poor plant sulked all year. In the past month it has finally put on growth. The roots must have broken through the tiles at the bottom and found something to feed on. 

 Fig 'Brunswick'

Sweet Peas 'Cupani' - smaller but more fragrant and reputed to more heat tolerant than other sweet peas - all of which I have found to be true.

 

 

Fennel is said to be a bit of a bully, but here it jumbles together with sweet peas quite nicely - under-planted with rhubarb and self seeded Nigella. Like the outdoor tomatoes, I have not watered this bed in this super dry, hot weather - they take shade from the large budleja.
 

Cherie's Cantaloupe melon is looking happy in the old recycle tub. I have been treating this to a bucket of shower run off water each week. 

Aside from gardening I've been busy with the school holidays. Although I still have to work, I do have extra days off for action time fun with the kids. If you see a forty odd year old mum trying to skateboard, best to look the other way. 

What has thoust been up to? Please send gossip. 

Lulu xXx

p.s. And just because I seem to be Monsieur's music promoter :0 (This new tune ROCKS the French Horn )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxlZEGBlHbs

Thank you for visiting!

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Want to send me biscuits for elevensies? Please email  'longmizzle (at) gmail.com'