Steady rain, 'robust' breeze and a chill in the air.... Ah, the joys of British Summertime....

We spent last weekend through the early part of this week as the Gardeners' branch of the Samaritans, unrolling the hose every other day to fully soak the garden and watering the seedlings every morning and evening.Some days it was so hot that during and after watering, the steam was rolling off the garden like an early morning mist. The water dripping from the hose and soaking your feet was a welcome relief... and then walking on the damp grass barefoot you just had to scrunch your toes around tufts of grass to feel the freshness of it all. I was glad that Fereday doesn't have enough time to keep our lawn crewcut short, and I think there were a couple of bees that were glad of it too. There was one little chap nestled in the grass by the edging of the strawberry bed, using his front legs to wipe his face over and over again, rabbit-like... little winged bunny fella... after a few minutes he was up and off humping strawberry flowers again!Since Friday, we've had a steady, gentle rain soaking into the ground. It's a relief. No matter how much we water, we just can't recreate the way nature does it - the plants seem to know.... a bit like kids who know when it's Coca-Cola and when it's Sainsbury's own brand.The breeze has been fairly 'robust', but you couldn't really class it as wind - it's just not strong enough... the Aconites are swaying gently, not bending dramatically like the palm trees they like to show you on the TV news when reporting on a tropical hurricane. I think that's just to reassure viewers that the hurricane isn't in Barnsley or Hanley, but I'm sure I've spotted the same palm tree in coverage of three different hurricane landing sites. Maybe it's a stunt tree?As for the weekend, well not much play for working in the garden, but the kitchen has resumed its designation as potting shed with Fereday transplanting lupins and rudbeckia from seed trays... this evening a little army of pots has secured the high ground of the garden bench. We didn't quite twig when we bought our wrought iron, six foot, 300-tons bench(!) that it was absorbing so much heat from the sun that it was acting as underfloor heating for anything that was placed on it. But now I know, I'm even happier that I've got it chained to the house - a precaution I took when several, very heavy urns were stolen last year - I wouldn't want anyone making off with our zero carbon heated seedling bench!But maybe best of all about the change in the weather - the people of Halifax have put their clothes back on again... all the orange fake-tanned or milk bottle white legs and lobster red, blistered arms are now pleasantly a thing kept between their owner and some poly cotton.... I can take the blackout shades off the inside of my glasses!

After 26 years at Radley College, Adam King has seen grounds management evolve dramatically. Weather patterns have become less predictable, playing surfaces are under greater pressure than ever, and flexibility has become one of the most valuable…

GroundsFest has welcomed Christina Walker to its sales team as preparations continue for the 2027 exhibition.Christina joins the award-winning team with an extensive background in publishing and exhibitions spanning more than two decades. She began…

When freezing temperatures threaten the pitches at Forest Green Rovers FC, speed is everything. Protecting the stadium and training ground with frost covers can be a race against the weather, but thanks to Kress battery-powered blowers, the club's…

Comments

Kerrie John-The garden design Co June 8, 2009 at 7:35pm

Oh Cat, I am loving your 'lyrical waxing'. Won't be long before you and Fereday are working together.

One day Al (my husband) will notice that that we have a garden, (Note to Al "it's the space outside the French doors where you walk around on your mobile for hours at a time").
Cornish Apple Trees June 8, 2009 at 8:43pm

I love the rain water and coca cola thing. Hope there is no copyright on that statement.
Cat Fereday June 8, 2009 at 10:23pm

Whoopeee - comments, thanks guys!!! :-) (I'd do more smiles, but it makes my little character look like it has double chins.... too close to the bone! :-))))
Andrew Garner June 10, 2009 at 10:55pm

rain water and coca cola have told to several clients already. Good stuff really enjoy your blog