August a few odd days. And, unruly plants.

Prize given for being able to get up the path unscathed.

I was talking to the hounds the other day. As you do. Saying it hadn't been much of a summer really and bamp-wham-thank-you-ma'am August appears to have brought mostly summer weather. Which I can tell you is helpful. The garden and I are currently grappling with each other. I do a bit of actual 'designed planting' and the self-seeders in the form largely of poppies and feverfew decide otherwise and do their thing. Don't get me wrong I've no problem with self seeders, but I purposefully dug up some stuff and moved it to give us better access to the path. The plants however had other ideas. So now I gently dance around them to get into the garden. They're welcome but if only they'd decided to grow a few feet back, I might actually get a wheelbarrow through my gate.

Sometimes the hounds and I go out and walk to get a bit of inspiration for the garden. Sometimes we just plod but lately we've taken to going to the local castle for a bit of a look. Mind on I don't fancy cutting this much grass. I also take inspiration from work seeing how some areas are planted and how the plants work together. Although I am mindful that my garden appears to do its own thing. 

I tell myself on this particular lunch time stroll that I don't mind when plants decide where they are happiest.

One of the areas I really like, is up the burn (small river) at work, again another lunchtime stroll. Is the garden arbour or summer house under the weeping willow. Inside its cool interior is a love seat which I think is just fabulous.

Its cool shade lets you sit a while and listen to the trees and the birds before heading up towards the potting shed and back to work.

And so to home again. Some of you might remember the featherless poor wee mites that we brought home last year. Around this time. Well let me tell you they're not what you'd call, poor wee mites any more. Beware of the hens indeed.

And whilst its not as artistic as the planting at work, finally the sweetpeas are making the effort to climb up the shed. I've even cut the first blooms. Its all late but then again, summer only arrived here in August.

The raspberries are beginning to take shape, the strawberries below them filling out nicely. Who knew that such a bare bleak patch in early April could look so full now. 

And the veggies are finally doing their thing. FINALLY. Although the words 'mangeout' and 'courgettes' are now dirty words in the household, as we're over run. Spinach is soon to join them in the vegetables who shall not be named.

One of the biggest surprises or I guess lessons I'm learning in this garden is that I'm in love with many garden thugs. Like this evergreen perpetual wall flower Erysium 'Bowles Mauve', its delightful but lets face it taking over most of the paths and the area's it planted. I appear to have a soft spot for those tough plants which just DO and do well at that. You'll not hear me complaining. I'm propagating it for selling. Its a bonnie thing and should spread its wings for other gardens to enjoy.

So all in all, so far, things are slower than I'd expected but are filling out nicely now and giving some well rewarding colour.

Others might enjoy their white gardens, mines will unmistakably be purple.

However, whilst I say that out loud, you might want to also inform my garden of this part of the plant. As for now, the self seeders and the freeloaders appear to be anything and everything BUT purple. I seem to be the temporary keeper of several unruly plants. Although I'm not complaining.

Happy Gardens folks. Now that I've caught up a bit, I'm hoping to start writing more regularly. I've now got my 'work' hours settled into a routine as of this week coming. So hopefully rather than think, ooh that would be a lovely post. I'll actually find the time to write things.

You've been warned! Happy Sunday folks.