3: Gardening Diaries ...

[Mark56]

It’s not looking promising, is it. Let’s start a petition for artificial rain clouds

 

[alp]

@Mark56 You should have seen my original post! I was soooooooooooooooo desperate. Are they perpetuating some kind of fraud in the Met Office? I want theur £1m bonus back.

Now 29c here where I live. According to the map, all the thunders and lightnings are on east of London. Like you, Mark, I am not optimistic at all. After that the lightning/rain blobs are NORTH of me. If I missed this lot, it will be a long time this kind of window will appear! Even I'm fed up with my moaning!

My son was talking about artificial man made rain storm ..

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Try again.....something went a bit wrong there , so have deleted and will try again

 

[alp]

I think I will have something like these soon. Some of them I direct sowed and I am quite chuffed with them. They will stay on for months, @Upsy Daisy ! Fantastic flowers. Should have started them a bit earlier. Few flowers have such staying powers.

What are those yellow flowers in the last pic please, Upsy? They are stunning. Every year, I have one flower for one plant. I feel so ashamed of myself. I like the yours and @johnny canoe 's pink one as well. Very unique colour.

 

[alp]

Wyevale has another £5 off voucher

Hope it is useful to some!

Good night everyone! Need to get up early to water AGAIN!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Not sure @alp ( no surprises there)
Here's a close up..maybe a double Rubeckia??

What do you think??
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Double+Rudbeckia+Gloriosa+Daisy&FORM=IRIBQP

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Sorry , above pic taken on my tablet

 

[alp]

Good morning to all:

@Upsy Daisy Looks like it. But I'm not very good at identification.

Set the alarm at 4.30 and put on my trousers to minimise mossie attacks, only to find a sprinkling of rain drops on cardboard. Not even the sound of raining and the ground is sprinkled, but not covered. There were then thunders, rumblings - empty threats. Now all my plans are in disarrays as I planned to soak the garden, shred the plum branches I trimmed off yesterday, mow the front lawn as the white achilleas are everywhere.

Wanted to go back to bed, but then realised that I need to turn on the dishwasher, iron son's clothes ..

By the look of it, I still have to water the lawn as I have only 30% of rain THIS HOUR!

 

[alp]

Beware of what we pray for

The heatwave goes out with a bang! Furnace Friday could still see temperatures nudging 99F - but torrential storms will sweep the country bringing hail and floods... and some MUCH needed fresher air

• Mercury could rise to 99F (37C) today, triggering thunderstorm warnings which will sweep the country
• Motorists are warned ahead of lightning, flash flooding and large hailstones that could hit eastern parts
• Temperatures are forecast to be in the mid-30s for much of east and south east England, the Met Office say
• Some areas will see a more than 10C drop between Friday and Saturday as cool winds bring fresher air
  
  Hailstones in Nottingham!
  
  By the look of it, even tonight, I won't have rain whilst the rest of the country is drenched in it. Going out to water the poor plants now.

 

[Logan]

Morning all, lovely pics upsy and Johnny. i agree with Alp think it's a rudbeckia upsy.Busy day, got to make some jam tarts, the last one went mouldy because of the hot weather.
Have a good day all.

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Morning everyone...... surprise, surprise.......the rain and thunder never materialised last night .
Getting cooler over the weekend, but by the following weekend temperatures are supposed to rise back up.
Temps here on Sunday reach a high of only 19c!!!!
Judging by the forecast you are more likely to see rain today that us down here @alp....fingers are crossed for you

Yes I'm sure it is a double Rudbeckia.....forget it's name though.

Hubs has just gone around and watered everywhere including the lawns.
Have a great day!!

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Very optimistic about Sunday's forecast though......think the rain will actually arrive....by the bucketfuls. Can't wait.....so excited!!!

 

[alp]

Good morning, @Logan ! I think it's @Upsy Daisy who fed me the idea that it was a rudbeckia. Sorry for posting so late. I have been very busy. Watering for an hour. Trimmed the plum tree again and down came 3 plums - this year's souvenir from Mother Nature - 4 plums per tree. Bet that would never happen to you, @Logan !

I am still smarting from the sweat and heat. Already in Essex, it's 25c..I couldn't even get to mow the front lawn. I did do the ironing though. Next time, but I mustn't turn the dial when it's in full glare. 90c and all the clothes were so creased. No rest for the wicked!

Opening the fridge and the odour was awful - the sardine and herrings are being marinated in red wine vinegar, but the smell is awful. Why are nutritious foods so off-putting? My next punishment is a bowl and bland porridge! I prefer it bland though. I hate any raisin or fruits in my cereal. Too sweet for me. Yes, why are nutritious food so unappetising!?

 

[alp]

Now that I am more myself, I remember son telling me that it actually DID rain steadily and heavily for half an hour. I reckon that because of the heat in the air (don't forget I have factory next door which wakes me at at 4 or even earlier in the morning with the surges of heat), the rain evaporated very quickly and hence the cardboard was dry after 15 minutes. Even before that it was sprinkled with drops. Not totally wet. I can assured you that the rains will visit north and west of me!

 

[alp]

I normally do close ups, but having seen so many Crazy Love, I might just as well take the whole family

Achillea Cerise Queen

Butterfly weeds, with no butterflies on any of them!

The echinacea purpurea family


Setaria italica 'Red Jewel' disappeared last year.

@johnny canoe Mine is a bit slow, just like me!

Yes, a box of potatoes next to my Star jasmine!

Incredible fragrance.