After a fantastic July weather wise, August proved to be something of a damp squid. Although the rain still held off for the most part, it was much cooler and cloudier than July had been. The hosepipe ban meant that we still had to trudge around the garden with a watering can in order to keep our plants alive. With the addition of some new dahlias we still managed to keep quite a bit of colour in the garden.
Terrace view - the terrace is looking its best. The hanging baskets have done very well this year but it is hard work trying to keep everything watered. (01/08/06)
Garden view 1 - a view of the new flower bed, which was started in September last year. (01/08/06)
The zantedeschia has done well over the past two months but now the flowers are turning black, a sign that they are dying. However ... (01/08/06)
... the wisteria has bloomed for a second time. (01/08/06)
Begonia - rescued from the rejects at Leeds Castle 4 years ago this plant puts on a good display every year. (01/08/06)
Because of the drought situation this year we did not buy any Busy Lizzies as they need a lot of water. This one is self sown. (01/08/06)
Californian fuchsia - started as a cutting from Baizdon Road (ancestral home), it is still doing well. (01/08/06)
Crinium - a present from a neighbour, it produces pink, lily-like flowers. The camera has caught a tiny green spider sitting on the tip of one of the petals. (01/08/06)
Yellow-pink dahlia - the plant was bought earlier in the year for 50p at Meopham Garden Club. (01/08/06)
French marigold - planted as an aid to keep away blackflies it seems to have limited success in that department. (01/08/06)
The fuchsias are still doing well ... (01/08/06)
... as are the pelargoniums. (01/08/06)
The vegetable garden is beginning to supply us with tasty produce. Here we have purple beans, grown from seeds brought back from Germany. (01/08/06)
The greengages are beginning to ripen... (01/08/06)
... as are the tomatoes. (01/08/06)
These are summer apples. They are tasty but very small, so the birds tend to eat more than we do. (01/08/06)
A self-sown passion flower has blossomed for the first time. (07/08/06)
A resident frog puts in an appearance. (09/08/06)
The indigofera was grown from the seed of a plant at Leeds Castle. This year it has flowered for the first time. (25/08/06)
The japonica has nice big ‘quinces’ this year. (25/08/06)
The blackberries are large and juicy. (25/08/06)
Our raspberries start to ripen at the end of August and continue fruiting, unless there is a very heavy frost, until Christmas. (25/08/06)
Will there be enough sloes to make sloe gin? (25/08/06
The marrow is getting larger. Will it be big enough for the garden club autumn show in September? (25/08/06)
The pears are also growing larger. (25/08/06)
The plum tree was planted ten years ago. It produces so much fruit now that the branches must be heavily supported. (25/08/06)
Some of the plums used for jam making, cakes, and for eating straight from the tree. (25/08/06)
The fairy ring is the bane of any gardener’s lawn and almost impossible to eradicate. (25/08/06)
Garden view 2 - the garden view has changed since the photo was taken at the beginning of the month (see above). (30/08/06)
The first Michelmas daisy has appeared – harbinger of autumn. (30/08/06)