Growing and picking

 I adore these fleabane daises, I cut them back a couple of weeks ago and now they are in full bloom again, this bed at the back of the lawn looks so good, all through the summer the daisies are the star. I have planted more around the veg section in nooks, hoping it looks as if they made their own way there. 

A few more blooms around the garden , yellow rose, gladioli just four this year, an unexpected aquilegia, again I have 4 plants in the daisy bed, this one broke as it grew, so with new shoots some late flowers. The white spikes are new this year, a £5 small plant from our market guy, which I have grown on, Physostegia, crystal palace white, it should return every year, it's in my side bed. 

My white lavender is huge, I have take some cuttings in hope of more plants, I have agapanthus growing in 3 spots, these tall flower heads add structure, and look very pretty. I have started to add flowers which tumble over the edge of the beds, which I do like the look of. 

I have new growth on my grapevine, I read online what to do with it, the first year in the ground like most plants is important, I put mulch around the soil where it is planted and I have an old white tea towel protecting it from the fierce heat of the day, just for a few weeks until it is settled. 

I saw a meme, 'no one wants to see your first tomato harvest', sorry this is mine, two different varieties, the plants are both full of flowers and fruits, my cucumber is producing more fruits, my lettuce has slowed down in this heat, I do have more on the way. 

I can't do much in this heatwave, I water on nights when the garden requires it, I do enjoy the task, I can take note of everything growing, we are not sitting out much, the tennis has been our company most afternoons and evenings, this is definitely the year to sit and watch the garden. Our hedgehog has been missing for a couple of days, we have plenty of birds all sizes, the bigger birds can't get to the feeders, they come in for the water. 

I do everyday ensure the birds and other wildlife have fresh water, I have 3 different spots plus the pond, the pond is full of slimly weeds, there is not much I can do, I try and clear as much as I can, I tried a barley straw bale, which did not do much, as always I checked online and basically my pond is too small and in too much sunlight to keep it clear, the weed does not impact on the pond and will clear once the weather changes. 

Hubby noted some damage to a rack when cleaning his new BBQ, B&Q wanted to send him a new BBQ, hubby declined, he spoke to manufactures, who could/would not sent out spare part, back to B&Q, the choice a replacement BBQ or £50 refund to close the matter, hubby chose the refund, he can live with the slight damage.