Sunday 28 July 2013

Lavender Favours

Hello

Hope that everyone has been enjoying the hot weather.  One side effect of the high temperatures is that the lavender is particularly fragrant as the heat draws out the lavender oil, its lovely gardening around lavender, its one of my favourite scents.  The bumble bees are enjoying it as well, my lavender is covered with them.  Bumble bees are such gentle creatures they are totally focused on the flowers and don't seem to bother when I garden around them.  It great to see them back, I was beginning to get worried that they hadn't recovered from the bad start to the year.

I had a go at making lavender favours today, I haven't made them for such a long time.  They are quick and easy to make.



They just need drying out before I add them to my drawers (chest of) but they will keep the moths out of my underwear!

Regards
Sharon

Saturday 13 July 2013

Blooming cottage

Hello

No, I am not swearing about my house, just commenting on the flowers growing down the side of it.



They are taking over.  I just started with one shade of pink, then the darker pink appeared and last year, the white ones appeared.  The moths love these plants on a warm evening they are covered in them which is good news for the bats that fly around my front garden.  They also normally attract the butterflies as well but alas not this year, they have all disappeared.  I have had a lonely cabbage white in the garden but that's all.  In past hot summers, I have had hummingbird moths, which hover over the plants and feed off the plants with a great long tongue, they are amazing to watch.  They are furry little things with a tail like a lobster, they come over from France.  Perhaps with this hot spell, they are on their way!

I got carried away at the Trade Nursery when I was collecting bedding plants for my customers and bought a load for myself.  I normally don't bother with hanging baskets but thought that they might brighten the garden.  This cone basket dries out quickly so to water it, the bottom half of the basket is dipped in an old dustbin full of water and the basket is secured to the water butt with the handing chain, I leave it over night and by next morning fully watered, which is why the bottom of the basket is a different colour.






I used an old galvanised vintage bucket for this display, the frost had burst the bottom which makes it ideal for a flowers as the water drains away.



Finally a flower manger stuff with flowers


Sewing is on the back burner while I try to keep my garden tidy!

Working as a gardener in this hot weather is very draining but I have found a solution to overheating, resorted to  putting my head under the garden tap, I look like a drowned rat afterwards but it does cool me down quickly.

Cheers
Sharon