Sunday 12 June 2011

June Garden

I need reminding today of what a summer garden really looks like because outside here the rain has pummelled my poor plants into submission all day and it's a paltry 8 degrees c. Flaming June literally. This is what it feels like to be on the brink of a drought then?!
Hardy Geranium Johnson's Blue (I think?)
This is the joy of living in England, who knows how the day will pan out? I woke up to sunshine and scudding clouds but by the time breakfast was over the sky was grey and the rain soon followed. It'll be dark before it clears but things look better for tomorrow (when I'm stuck in the office - typical)
Just the other day it was like this - blissful, just the day for a garden project. Remember this old thing, well the extremely generous people at Days Gone By Deckchairs offered to help me out with her restoration.
From far too shabby to be chic, to a new garden friend in a very short while thanks to the most marvellous canvas, upholstery nails and a little bit of hammering and bashing. Thank you so much! I did mean to take some photos of how I did it but got rather tangled up in things as you can imagine, (and it still needs tightening up a little too.)
New deckchair canvas in Margate stripes by Days Gone By Deckchairs
Re-slinging a deckchair is one of the very easiest things I've done and with these delicious fabrics with such evocative names, I feel cushions for the garden bench and perhaps covers for the caravan seats in the pipeline.
New deckchair canvas in Rothesay
Anyone with a hankering for the feel of a traditional English afternoon (not quite as traditional as today mind you!) will adore what's on offer at Days Gone By Deckchairs. Do stop by and have a look
Now I have somewhere perfect to sit back and enjoy the garden just doing its thing if the sun ever returns.
Astrantia Roma
We're still very ahead after that hot spring, about 2-3 weeks I think which, all being well, means there'll be time for a second flush of my favourite perennials when this early show is over. The weeds are smothering my allotment to be honest, it's been too wet lately to spend much time up there but the early peas are cropping now and our first strawberries aren't far off.
Front garden
Nepeta (catmint) Six Hills Giant, lupins, pinks about to pop and Alchemilla Mollis (Lady's Mantle)
Knautia Macedonia
Foxgloves & Lupins
Come back soon summer. Remember - it's supposed to be like this!

39 comments:

Sara said...

Me encanta tu jardín,se nota que está hecho con cariño.Un saludo.

Rose H (UK) said...

I agree entirely with your thoughts. It's been pouring down her pretty much all day - I've had to use the dryer for some washing! Your garden is so pretty, and I love how you've recovered your deck chair - I haven't seen one for sale for years..
Oh well, I'm going to dream of the sun!

Vintage Jane said...

Your garden looks beautiful. We too have had non-stop torrential rain all day - we took advantage of the weather to do some stripping ... of paint and varnish on our stairs! M x

Gill said...

Gorgeous photos! Our rented house only provides us with a 'low-maintenance' garden (better than nothing I suppose) so we are growing an awful lot of plants in pots. Seeing your garden in bloom is keeping me going until I get my own dream plot.

Love and stuff xx

Laura said...

Just beautiful. Don't you just love perennials? I love your garden. Exactly the look I am trying to recreate here in NJ. Take care. Lx

Barri-Jayne said...

Great photos, beautiful garden and absolutely loving the deck chair.

Trixie@ the vintage bothy said...

It rained & rained today and on the radio, the chap said " ...in 9 days time the nights will start to draw in", great!!
T x

...Nina Nixon... said...

Your garden is so pretty Steph.

Nowt but rain here for the past week or so - it's more like April should of been then June! Good old blighty weather.

Nina xxx

LandGirl1980 said...

Thank you for these pics - you have reminded me that it does not ALWAYS rain in the uk!! Although I would be forgiven for thinking that today. In our house it shall be forevermore be known as "Soaking Suday".

Anonymous said...

Your garden looks fabulous and your photos made me want to go and do some planting in my little patch. Unfortunately it has poured down all day so I'll have to content myself with looking at your summery pics to inspire me for a sunnier day. I hope you get to sunbathe in your deckchairs soon!
Cathy XX

VintageVicki said...

I agree - the seasons have got very muddled here. We had summer this morning but by late afternoon autumn had appeared!!

Here's hoping summer makes a welcome appearance again soon so you can spend time in that gorgeous deckchair.

Vintage Tea Time said...

Your garden looks great - and a lovely outlook.I love alchemilla and lupins and astrantia - great cottage garden flowers. Abby

flowersandhome said...

What a beautiful garden you have! I can only wish for a border filled with colourful plants. The soil in our garden doesn't agree with full borders in summer. But I try to make the best of it. It's been very dry here for months but last week and today we had some rain, not enough though not to have to water the plants in the garden; and I do because otherwise I wouldn't have anything left pretty soon.

Have a wonderful week and a sunny weekend next week to enjoy your lovely garden in the great looking deckchair!

Bye,
Marian

June said...

Lovely posting - I know what you mean about rain -it's literally bucketed it here all day - so much for a drought and hosepipe ban!
June

Miss Holly said...

Your garden is just beautiful.....absolute heaven !!!! We too are in the thick of cold..............rain and fog.......4 days ago it was 95 F...my garden does not know which way is up!! But we have lots of lovely lettuce... It loves the cold!

Joanne said...

Once again, stunning photos! Your foxgloves are amazing! I've never seen anything so tall and glorious!
Love the fabric on your deck chair...great choice!
Also loved your vacation photos...looks like you had a lovely time!
Joanne

Jo-anne Blossy said...

What an absolutely beautiful garden! I wish my garden looked half as pretty as that!

Vintage Sunday said...

Such a glorious garden ~ and lovely photos! Your deck chair looks absolutely fabulous ~ perfect for when the sun returns! Love Brenda

Naturally Carol said...

I love your last photo..it really looks like a little oasis of colour in a sea of green! You have a really beautiful garden, I am rapt with your borders.

The Curious Cat said...

Yours is a true English garden! It looks delightful! xxx

Sue S said...

Beautiful borders and love the deckchair!! Rained all day here in chester on sunday..by 4pm I ended up lighting the woodburner and loads of candles (in June??) to cheer myself up LOL Sue X

Katy Noelle said...

May I, please, just leave an obvious ol' comment and say, "oh, my garsh! Your garden is very extremely pretty!!!"?

Katy Noelle said...

Hello, Steff! I've just had a lovely "catch up" (it's just how life has to go, nowadays) - all the way back to where i left off with the street party. I started to feel very self conscious, though, about the string of comments that I usually leave; so, I thought that I'd consolidate and tell you (again, I think) that I love your way with words and your magic eye. Do you live in Wonderland???!

Every year, at this time (June) I think of the words to a song, "In the month of May in my own country, all the woods are new." That's what it looks like for you. The line was spoken about England but I do live in New England and it feels so similar. We have nothing like your cow parsley, though....

Love to you and yours, fellow traveler,

Katy Noelle

Gigi said...

Your flowers are so beautiful! We're burning up here and haven't had rain in weeks. We seem to spend half the day dragging around the water hose and sprinkler trying to keep our few little flowers and things from expiring ;(.
Happy summer!
GG

Madelief said...

Your garden looks stunning. So much in bloom!

Lieve groet,

Madelief x

Anonymous said...

Your garden looks at its best!
I hope that you will have more free time to enjoy it to the full!

Tea with Prudence said...

Beautiful photos, as ever..

If it makes you feel any better, down here in Southern Hemisphere it is wet, wet, soggy and wet.

Not a bit of sun in sight.

Those deckchairs are so gorge tho, that I think I would go out and sit on it anyway, with umbrella.

cheers
Fi

Please may I? said...

Yet again stunning photos. Oh how I wish my garden looked like this!

The deck chairs look fab, what great fabric. roll on the sun shine so you can use them.

X x

Unknown said...

really beatifull garden. I live in Siberia, and the weather here is 6 digries today.
I love the landscape, that you can see from your ganden.

Sorry for mistakes, my english is not good.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

Your deck chairs look brilliant! We have been having quite a bit of rain and cold over here in New England as well. It would be nicer if we were not so very much like our namesake in this way.

Kim said...

LOVE your blog! Your gardens are so deliteful. I'll have to go check out that site for the deck chairs.
xoxo,
Kim

Jill said...

Your garden looks lovely, but I know what you mean about the weather, it is so cold that we are going to light the fire tonight. Been looking for deckchairs on ebay now for a while, so I think I will be popping along to this website! Hope the weekend holds some sunshine for us all.
Jillx

The mum of all trades said...

it looks lovely. i love the little dry stone wall bed. we have built something similar recently but our planting is still at a very early stage. i cant ait till it all matures a bit.

Fågel Blå said...

Hello!
Ohh so lovely blog you have!!!
And so beautiful in ýour beautiful garden!!!!
I coming back soon!
have a nice week!
Kathrine

p100 dust mask said...

Little dry stone wall bed is very wonderful. I also planning to keep in my garden. Your blog is such a very colourful with awesome flowers.

Peeriemoot said...

Your garden looks lovely - I'm very envious, I think mine's about a month behind! I love seeing other people's gardens :-).

chrisartist said...

I love your blog!!
Such beautiful pictures and very engaging.
Chrisartist

dojogan said...

I've only just found your lovely blog and looked at your Dorset hol photos. Yes Dorset is lovely. My sister lived on Portland for 8 years and I visited the area all the time. So happy memories for me too. Dojo

Cindy said...

Stunning garden! This is the ideal of what a summer garden should look like.

We've been working on ours as well, but it's going to take quite a bit of work as we are new to gardening. Still, my husband has really gotten into it, and despite my black thumb, I'm giving it a go as well (7 of the 10 plants I planted have survived--go me!)