Outside? You must be joking it's August!

Weather - horrible. Cool and wet in a pattern that has been continuing for several days...

This week's harvest - cool weather is taking its toll on what should be one of the glut weeks of the year. Nevertheless:

Courgettes 2lb, Runner Beans 11oz, French Beans 1lb 8oz, Spinach 10oz, Rhubarb 10oz, Tomatoes (Black Russian - great flavour) 7oz,Costuluto Fiorentino Tomatoes (not impressed by the flavour and not very juicy - although the plants haven't been happy all season ) 2ob 5oz, Potatoes (Highland Burgundy - purple floury flesh - interesting but not overly appetizing visually once you're over the initial wow factor!) 9lb 8oz. Harlequin Potatoes (really nice salad/general potato) 5lb 13oz. Cucumber (small white) 2, Artichokes (last two) 2. Herbs used: Basil, parsley, Thyme, Lemon Balm.

When you photograph a garden it is natural to wait for perfect light conditions and highlight the good bits....but sometimes its worth 'telling it like it is'!

I did get out at the weekend - and was amazed at how much growth there had been in the borders. I usually allow the Lovage stems to overwinter but this year they had been blown almost horizontal and at 8ft they were bearing down on the Michaelmas Daisies in the same bed. When I looked at them I realised that the stems were hollow so I've experimented by cutting them into 10 inch lengths and tying them in two bundles with....wait for it (if it works this is a good bit!) ... bindweed stems!

I am hoping that these little bundles will provide homes for bees and ladybirds etc. They look fairly like the Bug Houses that you buy for just this purpose. They do smell pretty strong. Lovage (which is supposed to taste like celery but it is so strong I find it overpowering to use in cooking) has a distinctive smell. I hope the insects don't mind that! We shall see.