My garden

Thursday Thoughts – Flowers at Summer’s End

/ Leya / 37 kommentarer

We have got three summer months: June, July and August. At least we should have three.

2023 has been a strange year and a strange summer. In my garden nothing has grown as it should, the birds have not succeeded very well in breeding and the butterflies have been few. Insects OK, but flies there used to be many more. I don’t think I have had ten of them in my windows. Less food for the birds…and that is just what scientists have found. A declining number of insects – and other animals. Because we are all depending on each other.

On the last day of summer – in Sweden and the Nordic countries, I am sending you pieces of what is left in my garden this year. After a cold Spring and a hot June and then… wind and rain. The farmers have not been lucky or happy either.

The weather continues to be unpredictable with rain, sunshine, hail, thunder and lightning – and everything at the same time. The weather forecast must be a nightmare to send. Almost every day they say ”it’s impossible, we just have to wait and see.”

So, I am happy we had Some flowers and Some sunny days. Not many days I have gone swimming though…but Milo has, every day. And if I cannot find him when we come back home, he might be in the glass house, waiting for me to join him. And if you find him in the glass house, you will understand it is not very warm outdoors…

I know many of you have had fires, floodings and storms in your countries. We have been lucky enough to have only severe floodings this year. Let’s hope for a sunny and soft Autumn/ Spring for us all.

Macro Monday – Hummingbird Hawkmoth

/ Leya / 32 kommentarer

Guess if I was happy about this little creature last week! Some years ago we had one visiting – and now he had me smiling again. In fact I am still smiling…

Thursday Thoughts – The Last of Summer

/ Leya / 37 kommentarer

The Buddlejas are having a second bloom, and the butterflies are still here. But the air is chilly and the nights near frost. I love my Heleniums that gather hundreds of pollinators. It’s a joy standing close to them, just listening to the busy bees.

The little white aster was new last year, it shines in the darkening evenings now. And so do the tuberous begonias standing in the shadow of the vines. They glow in the late sun.

There is still colour left, and we hope for some more bright days before winter is here. I hope you too have enough colours left to savour Autumn.

Thursday Thoughts – New in My Garden

/ Leya / 25 kommentarer

Every year there are some newcomers in my garden. I posted a bee in this one the other day, but thought I would do it some more justice and show the beauty of this salvia plant. Fast growing and loved by the pollinators. Among the Autumn yellows, it is radiant.

Tricyrtis, or toadlily, arrived this summer as well. In Sweden we have ”open gardens” to visit every summer, and sometimes they sell plants there as well. I wanted this beauty ever since I saw it the first time in an old friend’s garden. And last week the first flower unfolded. An intricate lady.

Mrs Wilmott’s Ghost is another newcomer – much longed for – but unfortunately it did not get any flowers this year. But this is what I hope to see next summer!

I mentioned before the red admirals (Vanessa) and how frequent they are this year – and difficult to photograph, but in the header I managed not to frighten them when they were feasting on the plums…

A more close-up view I got from one of them resting on the glasshouse. This year they have kept their colours well too – no hail or much rain. Indeed one of my favourite butterflies. Sorry to say, the buddleias will soon be over, but we have had a marvelous insect year and the butterflies are no exception. So grateful!