Here today ...gone tomorrow

Weather: Cool and wet after a nice day yesterday and the promise that it will brighten up later...

Harvest since last post (four days) : 4 Cucumbers (small white now finished plant in the greenhouse overcome by mildew) Runner beans just 7oz (from about 10 plants - very disappointing) French Beans 12oz, Costuluto Fiorentino Tomatoes 12oz (with slug damage from the greenhouse) Black Russian Tomatoes 8oz (really good these - and this was a single fruit), Courgettes 1lb 10oz, Spinach 5oz (thriving now after slug ridden start) windfall William's pears 1lb ( still a bit hard but will cook up fine).


So this is why Hemerocallis are called 'day' lilies! I have waited for two years for a flower on the Millie Schlumpf (above) And what a beautiful flower. But the photograph was taken two days ago - and now this bloom and the second bloom that flowered yesterday have finished. Worth the wait? Possibly - I just hope that now it has found its footing that it will stand up to the slugs and snails better next year and I will have more than one successful stem to enjoy. The earlier stems were totally destroyed by them.

I was delighted with its delicate peachy colour that blends to a vibrant green at its heart. It had been described as pink - and I've never been a great fan of pink. Like the yellow red hot poker of a post or two back this plant was chosen to commemorate a cat ... whether that cat was called Millie or Schlumf, I'll leave you to decide!

What you can't see from the photo is that it is planted a couple of feet from an ancient stone wall where the molluscs lurk...That wall is a whole habitat in its own right. I regularly see mice in its nooks and crannies; it would be fascinating to see it in cross section as I suspect it would reveal a wildlife city from ants and woodlice to the spiders, bees and mice.