After a rather lovely week away at the beginning of the month, this week has turned somewhat wet and windy. And temperatures seem well below what they should be (hence the title – June + January). On the positive note, I haven’t had to get the hosepipe out.
Just some random photos from the garden this week. Everything is just getting on with doing what it does best.
First a few more foxgloves. A different white one (with red speckles), a pink one and one that has come in from the wild. I still have more in the garden that haven’t yet flowered, maybe they are holding out for better weather next year!
This is the location of the wild foxglove. In my woodland border among ferns and hardy Geranium x oxonianum – the pink ones which have a habit of self-seeding all around the garden, unlike the blue ones which I wouldn’t mind so much. These are very much geraniums for shade and flower for most of the summer.
Whilst I was in the garden on Wednesday (when it was still sunny) I noticed this peculiar behaviour of one of my visiting blackbirds. Rooting around under the bird feeder for worms and spiders it suddenly stopped still, crouched down on the pebbles with wings spread wide and tail feathers fanned out. It remained in a trance-like state for a good five minutes. What was it doing? Sunbathing? Dislodging mites? Letting in air? A risky state to be in I would have thought as it was very vulnerable to predators.
Jim of Garden Ruminations is our host now and as a former nurseryman has a lot more than the SOS happening over on his blog so well worth following. As always, if you want a peek over other people’s garden walls then please pop over to his site where you find links to many more wonderful garden enthusiasts from all over the world. See here for the participant’s guide.
Cornwall in Colours 
Oh yes, Junuary is the perfect word for this miserable June!
Sun shining today so I’m not complaining – though it is terribly windy so I am not gardening either!
We’ve had a bit of sun but also some torrential downpours!
The sun is lovely and the sky blue, but then comes a grey cloud and a heavy shower and that wind! Oh, if only that wind would stop.
Your garden always seem to shine whatever happens, Jude. Here it has been cold and wet now for some time, and most flowers are just standing still – nothing happens. In a way I like it, but I love to see things growing. Not too fast though. Spring passed and all those flowers disappeared in the heat. Now not so.
Interesting about the blackbier – never heard of that. Sand bathing they do here, especially sparrows,
“blackbird”…And I loved your new month – or not.
Sigh… it’s continuing to be a challenging year weather-wise. If the wind would ease it would actually be quite a nice day today.
The same here. If…is always there.
I’m typing this with a tremendous thunderstorm raging outside. I am so tired of the constant rain, and feeling cold in June, it really is testing my patience. Julie and I are convinced that we brought it upon ourselves by buying new patio furniture. It has been under it’s plastic rain cover since the evening it was assembled.
Best wishes, Pete. x
It’s sunny here, but blowing such a hooley you really don’t want to be sitting outside in it.
Dislodging mites is a good probability. The only other reason might be heat. The birds here were doing that a lot last summer when our temperatures got to the high 30s, but spreading their wings like that will also force parasites to the surface for easier removal.
Your garden is beautiful despite the weather. Always lovely to see your photos, Jude.
Well it’s hardly been hot here! Though I suppose if you have black feathers you may absorb more heat. Forcing the parasites to the surface seems to be a logical explanation.
Pleased you’ve had a good week, Jude!
Thanks Sue. Not done a lot this week as I have strict orders to REST THAT FOOT!
Blowing a hooley just about says it all. 🙂 But your foxgloves are gorgeous.
Thanks Carol. I am rather chuffed with the foxgloves, nice to have some paler colours. I must sow some more this week for next year.
We’ve seen so many and they’re all amazingly beautiful.
Good girl, and make sure you keep resting it!
garden looking gorgeous despite the weather – just wish it would make its mind up. Start the day in the winter woolies and by the afternoon it decides it will be flaming June afterall
Can’t say there’s been much sign of a flaming June so far, but I did manage to get a bit pink last week whilst out and about 😊
suspect you are not alone – it is such weird weather that we all forget sunscreen
I like the diversity of your foxgloves and geraniums.
Thanks TD. They do add a lot of colour. Poor foxgloves are suffering in this wind though. Some of them are VERY tall.
Foxgloves grow wild over here, give height in a garden, and your white will stand out. Liked your Aconitum / Monkshead.
June is not over yet. Fingers crossed. To be fair, the seasons are all over the place. 26degs the other day in the Hawke’s Bay and its winter. Go figure.
26C in winter does seem extreme.
It was, weird temperatures, though it didn’t last. Huge amounts of rain one day then sunshine and cooler temperatures the next. Welcome to extreme weather. I read that parts of Europe are already having heatwaves? Best temperatures are those 25degs and under.
I agree. 20 to 23C Is my preference.
Yes Junuary here too! Yes I think that blackbird was sunbathing. We had Robin do same today
Yes, I read that Robins do that too.