Hi to all, and I know you like to see some of my garden during the year, and I feel that I have been remiss during the summer months. Sadly  Autumn has arrived early this year  so I thought that I would share some of my garden during the transitional period.

All week we have not had a day where we have not had rain in some form, so it has been difficult for Rich to do some of his work outside. We have been avidly weather watching but there are no days this week either behind us or to come where rain is not forecast so some work has had to be put on hold (very wet grass cannot be mowed!) . So  yesterday Rich and I decided that we would do some work on our garden, because we can work in the rain in our garden, when it comes to planting out shrubs that have outgrown their pots, and also we can get out of the rain as needed!

We had a list of jobs to complete including jobs to prepare for the winter – it is our third winter here and we have finally realised that at this time of year you really have to baton down the hatches and prepare for the onslaught, so one of our jobs (still on the list) is to cut up our pine trees as they have seasoned enough and will be overseasoned it we do not get to them soon.

So firstly I have planted up the pointed hydrangea that my dearest friend Karen bought for me. I have coveted one of these plants for so long. Over here they are known as ice cream hydrangea due to their conical shape, and because of their names such as Vanilla and Fraise, (vanilla and strawberry), or the variety called  Sundae because it changes from white to pink to pistachio colour as the seasons move on;  there is also  another called Fraise Melba, (strawberry melba) because it changes from white to deep red.  I love them, and I am over the moon to have one in my garden.

But as I cleaned out the old compost from the pots I found a number of these little buggers..

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The dreaded Chafer grub (other names are also available). Vile aren’t they? And boy would they eat my new plant. So out come all the soil, and the compost that was left in a bag, because it appears that the beetle to whom these babies belong, lays its’ eggs in compost.  But the grubs did not go to waste because we had great fun throwing pots of soil into the chicken run for the Claude and the girlies, or as Rich calls them Kellogs and his cornflakes!! (Our cock really is a wonderful specimen (stop giggling!!)!!)

Oh they loved it, scratching around in the soil with Harley barking his head off because he thought we were throwing so we must be giving the chickens toys! Add to that the wild grass that we dug up covered in slugs and snails and the girlies were happy girlies today- and Claude aka Kellogs.

We also took one of my poor miniature willow trees out of it’s pot and planted it up, along with the clematis that was growing with it.  We will be building log steps between it and the other plant the other side  this winter, because we have to do something to keep warm!!

Here is Rich digging the hole, assisted, or hindered, by two naughty welshies….

And here is the finished result, looking good and I hope it will be encouraged to grow back the other half that is currently bald. Watch this space.

We ran out of time with regard to the other shrubs and got rained off today, in fact as I am typing the rain is torrential, and (gasp, shock, horror!) I have the electric heater on!!.

Sadly it is clear that the party is over, the chairs are stacked (and now very wet) waiting to go to the barn, the sun loungers have been collected up, after laying in the garden looking forlorn and abandoned, as if they were saying please don’t say it is over, surely one last hurrah!

And the gazebo? That took itself down last week after a torrential downpour!!

But we have had a good summer, a very very hot summer, and despite our well running dry, and anything else that life threw at us we still love living here. So here are some memories of summer 2017, and here is to the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, as you know I believe we should enjoy them all and all they have to offer…..

 

The random meadow flowers we just threw out there when Rich put the steps in …..

Harley loving playing in the paddling pool

Beer and loungers…

Fleuri……

 

Cherries, blossom and stunning hues across the trees at sunset …

And of course the cucumber saga – it is not over yet there are two new baby cucumbers growing as I type!!

And last, but never least good good friends ……

So welcome Autumn, I welcome your chilly nights, and the way  you love to confuse us with your warm days, cool days, and wet days, I am blessed to be able to experience them and for that I am thankful every day, poo in the cellar or no poo in the cellar!!!

Have a good weekend folks, more posts to come and please you can follow moisfrenchadventure now on Instagram if you don’t feel like reading!! I also have collections on Pin Interest under moisfrenchadventure so please feel free to view…. and rate wherever possible

Keep smiling, keep being thankful and savour every small moment, like the garlic sizzling in the pan.

Moisy