Missing links

I am missing two days here. Goodness only knows what I did wrong with my notes and dates. But I shall have to rely on the photographs that don’t match the text already posted. Quinces anyone?

They are looking rather lush right now; so too the mirabelle plums up near the potting shed. We don’t expect any fruit from them this year as they produced so well last summer. And they are too high up for me to try and effect any artificial control on the crop. June drop is just that.

I remember now. I had to mow the orchard first thing in the morning so that the new building site could be neatly prepared. Bernard is actually a tidy worker, but I didn’t want a lot of tussocks forming in this now beautiful orchard grass. They are going to be working at the far end (beyond the apple trees) to link up the lower terrace to the pool level. So I whipped out the mower and in no time at all reduced the jungle to lawn. Such juicy grass.

I did a spot of mowing of the east garden lawn as well. That’s the curse of the lawnmower, so addictive. I don’t know if we are going to have all the lawns as neat as last year. So as an experiment, I have done a few paths in the east lawn to see how it develops. The area around the figs is quite clear, but the end part of the lawn – a little visited site – is going to revert to its normal jungly self.

It will probably become a deer track through the grass; as it is where the animals break out of the forest and make their way to the fig trees and the lower terraces.

And here are some close ups of the plants in the shade garden: the lupins are romping, and the thalictrum Elin are up. Even the lilies are showing the benefits of a good soaking of rain. I just hope I have enough for the house as well as plants for the garden. Hopefully I can get the flower garden (the cutting patch) sorted so that house flowers wont detract from the garden scheme.