seddum envy

This picture of one of the clumps of autumn seddums at Pashley Gardens does not do it justice. This was one of the smaller clumps, six foot (two metres) across and three foot (one metre) at least deep.

They had lots of honey bees feeding on the tiny flowers:

And this is my largest clump of seddums:

It can't be that my garden in north east London gets comparitively little rain, and that I don't water the flower beds. It has had plenty of rain this year!

Comfrey "cream" turning into comfrey "soup"!

The comfrey cream I made with comfrey and coconut oil has melted in the hot weather. The coconut oil I use on my hands sometimes after gardening is only a tiny bit melted. If I make it again I will have to use petroleum jelly which doesn't seem so natural! Yesterday (Saturday) out with friends so didn't get my weekly wash done. So this morning, before I went out on my bike to pick blackberries, i put in the sheets and the towels. I hung those out to dry, and put in my clothes. I had just started hanging out the clothes when I heard what sounded like gravel landing on the conservatory roof. I suspected rain, looked up - yes, clouds. Then a drop or two landed on me. I wondered what do do, risk it hoping it wouldn't be much and the sun would soon dry up any additional wetness or take everything in. I decided I would take in the sheets and the towels as they were almost dry. As the drops were becoming more frequent, I then decided I would take in everything. I was glad I did - we had a thunderstorm and it would have got soaked!

Butterflies and bees

There was a peacock butterfly in my garden yesterday, the first I have had in my garden for years. Generally, however, less butterflies than usual. Today there was a cabbage white and a large brownish butterfly and a small brownish butterfly. Even though the small one flew past my face only six inches away from my nose, I still couldn't see what it was! Worried about all the bees that were feasting on my foxfloves, bell flower and love in the mist. There's not much for them in my garden now. I do have a bronze fennel is full of flowers for hooverflies and I saw some bees on that today which pleased me. I got a "Herbaceos Coreopsis" from Homebase today. Good for butterflies and bees - and drought tolerant. Does need full sun and I don't get much of that. Have put the pot in a sunny place, but would like to get it into the ground as it should keep going for several years.