Thursday 29 July 2010

Another Challenge and a garden update

I've been making these crochet clips for my charity shop and thought I'd use this one to enter the latest Waltzing Mouse sketch challenge before I put it into its cello bag. I like to package every item I make differently to make a more appealing display on the shop counter and I was really pleased to sell 5 of my creations whilst I was there on Wednesday.

And I really want to post a few photos of the garden today too. At this time of year I always find the garden a bit disheartening as everything is rather overgrown and untidy. Don't get me wrong - I don't really like 'tidy' in the garden too much (how could I in my jungle!) but lots of plants really need to be cut back to keep fresh new growth coming. But I never have the nerve to chop back plants that are still flowering their hearts out - so I leave them and accept the rather wild and woolly look. So here are a few plants I think are looking good and I want to record them now so I can remember them later in the year when autumn is really here.

This raspberry was sold to me as an autumn fruiting variety but it seems to have got its seasons mixed up. However the old canes growing in the hedge since my Dad's time have completely finished whilst there are still raspberries to come on this plant.
This is one of my favourite Astrantias but I can't remember the variety. Its common name is granny's pincushion and its a gorgeous pink creation.

I planted a whole packet of borage seeds under the young blackcurrant bushes to keep the weeds at bay but they have rather taken over the patch themselves despite being so slow to start growing that I had almost given them up.

Having dealt with all the blackcurrants last week, the cherries/plums are starting to ripen - we've always thought they were cherries but they are very large cherries and someone last year said they were small plums - I'm not sure what they are now! Anyway, there are two trees covered in fruit, though much of it is far too high to pick and will be left for the birds.

The marjoram is in full flower too at the moment and is another plant loved by bees, hoverflies and butterflies. When I took these pictures on Tuesday there were 8 Meadow Brown butterflies flitting around me.
There were also Holly Blues but I didn't manage to get any of them in snapping range!

Another favourite is this tall yellow daisy - can't remember its name unfortunately but I think its related to the sunflowers. It has spread a lot this year and will need cutting back in the spring - if I remember!

I was really pleased to find the sunflowers I grew last year had seeded themselves in lots of places and I managed to successfully transplant a lot of them to more suitable spots in the garden. I do hope they do the same next year.
The white scabious is lovely - those knobbly centres are fab. The pale mauve one is smaller but has many more flowers and its another plant beloved by the bees and hoverflies.

Have I included too many creepy crawlies here and made you all run away screaming! The trouble is they fascinate me. I really enjoy watching them in the garden and I'm always taking photos of them.
And last but not least is one of my froggy friends - they are friends you know as they live near my vegetables and eat lots of slugs and snails! I've only seen two of them this year though. There were four last year.
Well I think that will do for now. If you're still with me can I thank you for your patience. And if you only came to see my challenge entry - please accept my apologies for all this! Can I say I was so chuffed to reach 60 (yes 60!) followers this week and I'm thinking of having a give-away soon to encourage you to stay with me! ;o) Watch this space next week!

15 comments:

  1. Lovely post today, Ann! I really enjoyed looking at all your pretties......have never seen nor heard of granny's pincushion - it's beautiful! And I know just what you mean by a jungle at this time of year.....our is the same!

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  2. It's just too hot right now to do much in the garden I'm afraid, but yours looks lovely from what I see of the flowers. Your flowers are beautiful.

    Hugs XX
    Barbara

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  3. I love your card Ann, your interpretation of the sketch is wonderful! You've taken some beautiful pictures of your garden; wish I could see it in person. I love flowers but I don't have much of a green thumb ;)

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  4. Love your pics Ann, and the crochet clip is lovely, love the packaging you have done xx

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  5. Ann, your blue clip is beautiful and looks lovely on the card using the WMS sketch. And I always enjoy seeing your garden through pictures. Love seeing the bees and butterflies on your flowers. That frog is huge!!! Must be well fed. My gardens are most likely at their peak now. I should start snapping pictures before the cold winds start to blow.

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  6. I love your wonderful crocheted clip Ann! and what a gorgeous garden you have! your flowers are just beautiful and I love your big frog too!!! thanks for playing with WMS again this week!!

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  7. What a post....never mind the card which is so so good...love that crochet flower....great that you can sell them...and the garden, you know we have a wilderness too....that's why we have so many little birds,bees and so on...love the scabious and the pincushions....great stuff, keep more posts like this a-coming...will show this to my husband.

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  8. Oh how darling Ann! That lil crocheted clip is fantastic! Your flower garden is very pretty. Thanks for joining along with the WMSC :)

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  9. Such gorgeous flowers and winged beauties and fruit! I never tire of seeing garden goodness - thanks for sharing, Ann! Also I love your adorable little crochet clip. The color is wonderful. :) Theresa

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  10. Such a nice, vintage card!! And what a great garden you have!! Yummy raspberries :)

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  11. Your card is very nice - the crochet flower is just beautiful! I really enjoyed the photos of your flowers and fruits! Mr. Froggie is very cute, too! It was a nice little vacation visiting your place - thank you very much!

    Hugs!

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  12. ooooh, I so enjoyed reading your post today! Love that crochet flower you made. I've always wanted to crochet but the instruction always steers me away! It's like foreign language!

    Those pix from your garden is wonderful. What great photography skill you have! To have your own raspberry?!! *sigh* Fresh raspberry in HI costs $6 for a small box....not even 1/2 pound. And that's if they're in season. :)

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  13. How could you not sell any of your clips. They are beatuifully packaged. So glad I'm not the only one with a windswept garden. Your flowers are gorgeous. We are getting butterflies too at the moment. The frogs are liking the overgrown plants in the pond too!!

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  14. Your card is beautiful and your flowers and photos are AMAZING!!!!

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Thank you so much for visiting my blog and taking the time to comment - its hugely appreciated. Ann :o)

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