We've been so busy up at the allotment of late it's been difficult to keep track of all the comings and goings in the garden. As ever though, it remains the perfect haven for Suesie and I to unwind. and remember stillness. The flower borders are now awash with the vibrant hues of summer; Californian poppies, foxglove, campanula and love-in-a-mist. Not many native poppies this year for some reason, but then, one of the things I love about wildlife gardening is how it seems so different from year to year. A few plants have delighted us with their maiden blooms this year; bugle, ragged robin and greater stitchwort around the pond, whilst at the end of the garden the alkanet planted last autumn has been gorgeous.
Recently we've noticed the taller plants at the end of the garden have been rather trampled. A fox was our immediate hunch, but it wasn't till a few weeks later that our suspicions were confirmed. One evening, as I sat reading on the bench below our kitchen window, a most beautiful sleek fox crept warily into view from beneath the trees. For the next thirty minutes or so I watched entranced, as he lay beside the willow dome or sat scratching furiously, totally at ease in my presence.
At this time of year the garden is filled with the constant hum of insects. Lots of beautiful brimstone butterflies graced the space earlier in the year whilst in the pond, newly-hatched damselflies and broad-bodied chasers have been dragging themselves from the water. Adult common blue and large red damselflies can be seen constantly over the pool, settling in tandom to lay their eggs just below the surface film. A few female common newts have also put in the occasional appearance, but sadly still no sign of a male.
Our new meadow, sown after such great efforts to get soil conditions just right last autumn has been greening up nicely. Indeed, many of the grasses are now tall and in flower. Kidney vetch and yellow rattle have been giving a good display, but it won't be till next year that the native flowers really come into their own. Many native plants require the intense cold of winter to unlock their resistance to germination so I wonder how the mildness of last winter may have affected the mix. We'll see. We can always add more plants as time goes on, but sometimes it's good to be patient and just let things happen as they will.