It's been a great British summer. One I've managed to fill with more than the usual amount of activity even if efforts to create a cottage garden and grow my own have been rather stilted. It's our first summer in our own home so it's been fascinating to watch plants we didn't plant spring up and note how those we did have fared.
As much as anything, the exceptionally dry winter and spring have meant I've needed to spend big chunks of every weekend watering the hedges and lawn. I can't remember coming across mildew before and I've not yet defeated it. Time spent trailing around with a watering can have meant less time than I'd have liked tending to tomatoes and tidying up around the flower beds we inherited.
Still, we pulled our first ever potatoes at the start of July and despite taking our summer break the very week the tomatoes, peppers and aubergine most needed us, they have just about forgiven my neglect. At least one tiny green tomato has made an appearance. Given a bit more feed, I'm hoping the emerging flowers on the pepper and aubergine may even develop into something fruity.
Lesson learned though: plants don't just need good soil, the right amount of sun and water - they need shelter from the wind too. I'll know for next time.
There's still time to get some seeds in the ground before the end of the summer, so I'll be taking a look at the seedlings and plants that just haven't taken and replacing them with some hardier sorts that are more tolerant of my indifferent gardening skills.
Suggestions of what to try are very welcome.
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