August pollinators

"Purple Palace" is a rich, deeply coloured Heuchera which is not only rabbit proof, but also easily divided. The result is that we have pots in abundance, surrounding the back of the house. The spires of delicate flowers are very long lasting, which we - and the bees - have enjoyed all month.

Beautiful Butterflies

Buddleias are a rabbit proof stalwart. We've planted self seeded bushes around the garden & grounds. They were in their full glory this August, much to the delight of the butterflies & bees.

Stars of the show this August

A gallery of loudly trumpeting Penstemon flowers, all successful cuttings from 2 original plants purchased last year, have surround the terrace this August. Totally rabbit proof (that's a major plus here!), easy to propagate and long flowering, discovering Penstemons has been a joy that's come to fruition this August.

A guest kindly gave us a couple of differently coloured varieties; I'm looking forward to propagating from those next year! Penstemons are available in a wide range of colours, from shouty and garish to elegant and understated. I'm sure the National Collection, which is housed in a most inspiring back garden in Kettering is well worth a visit. It's on my 'to do' list!

Month of the Triffids

A jungle of self seeded gourds have been rambling, at great pace, through, across & around other plants in the Annexe border this August.

The variety of fruit ranges from smooth skinned and brightly tricoloured to wildly worty and mystical.

Each day has brought another length of squash talons racing along the boarder and path, with new or ever larger weird and wonderful fruits - much to our guests' amusement.

Bright blooms

It hasn't been the sunniest of summer months, but beautiful blooms have brightened up the boarders.

Here Comes The Sun!

We've propagated and spread the flowers which do seem to survive living alongside herds of hungry rabbits... August blooms have displayed exotic colours.

Cricket has returned this summer!

... in more ways than one -

Increasing the wild flowers has brought the crickets back - something I missed the first summer that we had sheep! Sheep and crickets now co exist, with separated areas for each.

August has flown by

August seems to have come and gone in a flash. It's been a busy month, with guests coming and going, as well as saying goodbye to our 2021 lambs - all now happily at work in their new homes, with a lifetime of grass cutting to look forward to.

Verbenas, daisies, buddleia, aliums, leek flowers, crab and regular apples have all been like magnets to winged pollinators.

Albert Einstein

"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no
more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.'