I keep adding to my little garden beside my seed room/ studio/vinery.

This small area was quite sad last year but then I realised there is always something that could be done to improve life. Probably not everyone's cup of tea but it is a tea pot! Yes on an old bicycle  that is gradually sinking into a damp space.I am encouraging moss and I have put some old stumps for things to hide in. I am also potting up Lobelia that I grew from seed in old enamelware. The pot here with a handle was found at my last Brocante. I bring the Lobelia in in winter and it grows inside the house then I can put it out again in spring and it is a reasonable size then. Otherwise I am seed gathering and weeding after rain around the vegetables. I have left the Fennel go to seed and I am chopping back the leaves on my Strawberries. I have a handful of Raspberries each day for my Raspberry Muffins and the hungry freezer. Yesterday I dug up my Shallots and shall make some pickles. We have a load of wood to stack and there is a constant flow here in the village of tractors and chain saws going on. My little studio is undergoing a few minor changes and I am trying to sort some of my old photographs out so that I can pinterest some. I am also trying to sort some of my 'Found' shopping lists I pick up at the French supermarkets each week. I thought I'd post some of these

High summer. The gardens have changed again since I took this photo. I was away while it was very dry here. Since I have  been back the hose has been out trying to revive a few very dry articles. I am lucky to have a spring here so we pump our water up from the old wash trough. Many things were a struggle this year. My cabbages and broccoli are a bit sad looking.The strawberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants started beautifully but no strawberries much since June. The onions are a bit small. I did have lots of peas and broad beans early on and the lettuce all came slowly and then quickly bolted. There were no cherries, apples or Mirabels. The walnuts didn't happen either. I did however manage to shift my thinking a bit about the farm being too much to convert to gardens. I have managed to create a few little areas now and I am gradually learning where I can put things. 

The bit to the right above the dead tree is our garden. The trees hide us.

This was George's veg patch. It's surrounded by trees including 2 huge Christmas trees diagonally opposite. George likes these trees because they are a link to the past occupants and owls like them too. The dropping of pine needles probably changes the soils pH, I need to check that. This year the tractor failed to put in an appearance so a change of use happened. I am mowing around the thistles but I shall cut these down a bit later. Then next year I am going to make little beds probably squash beds and more flowers.

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pink.rust8's photostream on Flickr.

Bristol Botanical Garden, Clifton.

I had a weeks stay in England. My sister lives in Bristol so I had a trip around the sights  one  day. These Gardens are in Clifton and open only occasionally. I love hot houses and the exotic things. There was Petula Clarke music belting out from an old peoples home next door. They were having a bar-be-cue and sing a long. 

Carnivorous Pitchers.

Have a look at Bethany's blog at Bristol Craft. She has photos of the dragonflies on a big pond there. Also here