Amazing fruit Val. Well done! And those delicate snowdrops, Eunice- how beautiful.

Jo x

they all look yummy val
I planted a victoria plum this year and had 4 plums
they were very sweet ate them last week

huggs xx

Thank you, Eunice, I'm not keen on Damsons, to eat, though they do make good jam.
The Plums & Blackberries do taste as nice as they look.

Val, those blackberries make my mouth water. I have never had damsons. Those plums look A1 too.

Some almost Autumn photo's from a wander round the garden...
Blackberries, I ate the ripe ones after I took the pic.

Victoria Plums, I picked some, these aren't quite ripe yet.

Damsons, those are still on the tree. Son can pick those & the plums I can't reach.

Snowdrops, lovely Eunice, they make me think of Spring.

My snowdrops

Thank you, Jo, the butterflies love them too.
Large White.

Red Admiral.

Small Whites, these were mating all over the grass.

White-tailed Bumblebee.

Aha, Doreen - I wonderd about laburnum when Karen said, but flax is interesting... I guess to be sure you will need to look at the flowers in the Spring. I have definitely seen them myself, but cannotrememberwhat the flowers are beforehand.

The buddlehia looks beautiful, Val. Another of your stunning photos! We used to have one in our garden at our last house. I know you do have to prune them in the Autumn sadly because flowers only come on new growth, but August I agree is a bit early - and tying them back seems to have worked. They look stunning - and the bees love them, don't they!

Jo x

It is a flax, Doreen. I don't know exactly which variety though

Mick wanted the Buddleia pruned, as it has grown so big it was taking over the steps into the lower patio, but instead I have tied it all back & the steps are now fairly clear to walk down. Why I hadn't thought of that before I don't know.

Well we saw them at Burton Agnes( a vistor's attraction of hall and gardens near Bridlington) They were just in the garden as welooked around
A beautifull place and the boys like to visit it. As there is a wood with large wooden animals which they thye have to find.

the pods look dried pea like doreen, could be laburnum, very poisonous

Thanks for your encouragement, Karen. I'll keep you posted next year.

Not sure what that plant is Doreen. Obviously seed pods of some type. I wonder what the flowers are like.

Your raised beds are certainly full of plants, Val! Promising runner beans.

Blackberries are on the way down the lanes. I am pleased and also sad as this means the start of Autumn and Summer is nearly over. Doesn't seem to have been here very long.....

Jo x

Our dreadfully overgrown raised beds. The nice runner bean plants are next doors.

I have seen these before in gardens, but don't know the exact species. I think it's a type of Flax, Doreen. If it's a New Zealand variety, Eunice might know what it is.

I saw this unusual plant at Burton Agnes Hall and Gardens (near Bridlington) It is pod shaped , dark brown and very oily to touch. Does any one know what it is?

I'll go out when it stops raining & take a pic of our disgracefully overgrown raised beds & fruit plants. The Blackberry canes have totally taken over the bed where we usually have our runner beans.

We haven't had a vege garden for the last five years but this year I am going to have a built up piece and grow silverbeet and lettuce. Chris can't manage it and I am only able to do it in short bursts, so may get someone in to tend it. I think you have done well, Karen.

Jo I just love to grow anything and everything it makes me feel better
but this year to me hasnt been a good growing year, as val said things
bolted (went to seed) as quick as you could blink and usually by now I
have more runner beans than I know what to do with, now the
garden is well stocked with food, fruits and flowers I barely have to do
anything, just a bit of weeding and of course watering, its all well
worth it growing food as the taste is so much better than anything
you can buy and BBC dig in website this year gave away 5 packets of
seeds encouraging people to grow their own again

Next year Jo yes give it a try, start with something easy that you
like eating

Val weeds/wildflowers are good for nature so you are doing your bit

Thanks, but I'm not really a gardener, Jo, I thought I should make an effort seeing as Mick was unable to though. We had a lot of wildflowers (weeds ) as no weeding has been done except in the one raised bed I cleared for the veg I grew. The other three look like a wasteland.
I have been watering the patio plants but those are nearly finishing now. I hope Mick will be well enough to get some Winter pansies & other Winter bedding plants, to make them pretty again soon.

It sounds as if you have done pretty well though Val. Well done! We have had black currants, are growing lettuces and tomatoes and also blueberries. That's about it. Next eyar I want someraised vegetable beds. Our neighbours have just moved and we have been given some wood to use, so hopefully Brian will do me a raised bed.

Reading Karen and Val's accounts has made me want to do more definitely next year.

Jo x

I didn't have any more seed to sow, Karen. Never seen lettuce bolt so quickly either, never mind.

I managed to pick enough runner beans for us to have tomorrow for our evening meal. There are more growing too, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. Not sure what the sweet peppers are going to do though. Toms look ok at present too, those are green & getting bigger.

Away to water the plants now.

Fantastic Karen! You obviously have very green fingers! Loved the photo of your harvest.
Brilliant. Hope you enjoyed the meal it provided.

Jo x