Some rain tonight!! Monday a bit cloudy and cooler improving for Tuesday through to Thursday then back to more cloud cover for the rest of the week and weekend. Temperatures for the week 18-20C degrees.

A very busy time in the gardening calendar, due to picking our Peas, Beans, Saskatoons and Cherries. Then with the Courgettes producing so rapidly and the Lettuce too, growing fast we are making delicious soup for the freezer to enjoy in the winter months.

Every day we are deadheading Roses and in this dry spell they need watering too. I am keeping an eye open for aphids on the Roses which are dealt with quickly, also I watch out for the Red Lily Beetle, so far no sightings.

Every few days I go through the flower borders and deadhead spent flowers which are not wanted for seed. The Ornamental Poppies have had the chop and we will wait for the second flush of flowers! There are some plants which needed extra staking or cutting back due to lack of moisture.

This week we will cut back the Redcurrants, by pruning the new growth back to two buds which will keep the shrub more compact and so less damaged in the winter storms. The Gooseberry’s new shoots too will be shortened to 5 leaves.

Weeding seems to be a daily task if that is possible! But there is no doubt that at this time of year everyone’s gardens are full of colour and scent and with a little bit of rain it can only get better. We have had losses in this drought, mostly plants under the tree canopy – perennials which hopefully I can replant by sowing seeds and bringing the plants on.