Friday, July 24, 2015

Summer summary


Well it has not been the greatest summer so far from a hot and sunny perspective but the rain had certainly made things grow tall. The Lovage and Gunnera is absolutely massive this year. I stood in the photo of the Lovage and Gunnera to scale it and I am just over 6 foot tall. The trees are growing so fast but already the leaves are limmed in that yellow cast that means summer is passing and the pergola I made in the winter is slowly being covered in clematis.
 
Rabbits have made a big comeback this year and are trying to eat every flower and plant. If the dog damaging the William Shakespeare rose wasn't enough the rabbits have now completed the job and decimated him. Shakespeare will not bloom here this year. 'So a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet and be just as tasty apparently.'
 
The lack of bees and wasps this year is disturbing. Even in previous bad years they have not been so appreciably absent. So to sum up this summer; lots of rabbits and rain and growth, but no bees, butterflies or bathing.

Around the lake are young ducklings and a family  of Cormorants (I always think of the seaside when I see them.) If you look at the picture there are Gulls and Cormorants so you could be forgiven for thinking that it was taken on the coast and not 30 miles inland.