Deep Summer

Global warming has reached the British Isles, and we have had a gorgeous, hot and dry summer.  I have only been watering the pots and new shrubs/ perennials on a semi-regular basis, resulting in some plants drying out.  They might come back to life in the autumn, or if not - there will be others to take their place.  It's the circle of life!

The heat has made my Mediterranean herbs grow huge and flower their socks off.  Rosemary, fennel, hyssop, and, above all, lavender.  It's been a special pleasure to sit in the shaded grass of a late afternoon and watch the bumblebees and honey bees buzz around the purple flowerheads. 

There's usually over a dozen busy bees landing and jumping off the lavender stalks, but they are difficult to capture with a phone camera.  Here's a view of the whole shrub (well, most of it):

Some pretty petunias too:

On the other side of the motorway, our new allotment has started to become productive:

We've already had some white (pale green) courgettes too, turnips and turnip greens.  I was fascinated to discover that squash/pumpkin leaves are also edible when cooked - and highly nutritious as well.