It’s been a great week. Rain has fallen. That’s what rain does. Enough of it, at last. Not biblical quantities, admittedly, but enough to put a bit of life back into the place. The ground has softened. The leaves have perked up.
The weather, as usual, refuses to settle. One minute there’s rain tapping against the glasshouse, the next there’s a brightness in the sky. Temperatures are neither here nor there – not quite autumnal, not quite summer. It’s that curious bit of the year when the garden seems to be asking: Are we finished yet?
The rainfall has certainly helped. The jaded look has given way to a cautious resurgence. Buds are forming and flowers are gathering themselves for one last show, but there’s a sense that the garden is holding something in reserve. September is only around the corner. Perhaps there might yet be an Indian summer?
For today, though, let’s simply be grateful that enough rain has fallen. There is something satisfying about hearing it on the windows after weeks of watching the ground dry out. Tomorrow will bring its own weather, its own situations and probably its own little surprise.
Enough of the waffle. Let’s take a wander through the garden and see what’s happening. I’m joining in with many other gardeners across the globe for Six on Saturday hosted by Jim at Garden Ruminations.
New And Old
It’s my first time having some hydrangeas in the garden, and I’m tempted to self-administer forty lashes for not growing these before.
This one is a bigleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla. As August comes to an end, many of the giant blooms are fading, but some new ones appear.
As I snapped a few early morning shots, I noticed that the plant is decicately laced with silky webs. Check top left. An ambush awaits.
Pretty Pansy Purple
Pretty pansy purple,
smiling in the sun,
Petals like velvet,
Dancing for fun.
Extract from “The Pansy Song” by Plooshi, a children’s song from the flower-themed album Flower Songs for Kids, Toddlers, Preschoolers, released in March 2025.
I was happy to revert temporarily to toddlerism, as I ambled down the garden today.
I sang it for my granddaughter on phone face time. She isn’t very impressed with my singing. Others have mentioned that I’ve got Van Gogh’s ear for music.
Begonia: Front And Back
I love trailing begonias. This is one of my favourites. It’s in a small pot sitting on an upturned square pot, with a saucer beneath it to hold water.
I rotate the plant, perhaps twice a week, so that front and back will face the light.
This is unfortunate. I neglected to take my own advice. My guess is this side was facing backward for 7-10 days. Again, I am willing to submit to self-flagellation. Ten of the best should do the trick.
Sorbus acuparia Romina
Back in May 2020, just as Covid lockdown began a phased easing, I purchased a beautiful Mountain Ash, Sorbus acuparia. I wrote about it back then. Here’s the link if you are really keen.
Shortly after that, a young Iranian girl was beheaded by her father to protect family honour. Sharia law is a bitch. I named this tree in her memory. Sorbus acuparia Romina Ashrafi.
Since then, the tree almost died, but it is now doing very well. I think the original article, linked above, is worth reading. I read it back during the week, and it saddened me.
Tomatoes / Trátaí
Is maith liom trátaí. There’s a nip in the air these days, and more particularly overnight. So I moved seven tomato plants back into the glasshouse. There was a glut of tomatoes from mid-June, but the last of them need the extra heat to ripen.
Allium
I can’t remember planting it. It’s a solitary Allium, with nobody from the immediate family for company. As in life, it looks a little lonely, but gets on with living its best life. The flower is spent now, and seed is abundant.
That’s my Six on Saturday for this week. Six-on-Saturday is a meme originally started by The Propagator. For more Sixes on Saturday, from all around the world, head over to the blog of Six on Saturday host, Jim.
In Other News
- When Trump hears I’m recovered from surgery and ready to protest at his Doonbeg Golf Club next month, I think he’ll chicken out. TACO.
- Dolly Parton RIP. I spotted this on X during the week: You want to honor her today? Put a book in a kid’s hands. Stay married. Do the works.
- Romina Ashrafi A sad Sharia Law tragedy in Iran (2020)
- The Great Irish Eclipse — Almost Missed Over a Beer. This update is a summary of the August 12th eclipse and what I was doing instead of gazing at it.
Until next time,
Slán, Pádraig.
