lollipops

This morning, probably for the last time this Summer, we ate breakfast outside. The fair weather we have enjoyed for so many weeks is coming to an end, we hear: a ten degree drop in temperature is forecast for the weekend.

From our garden alcove, we look out over the marmalade to Caroline's pond, fringed with Alchemilla Mollis, and also with these upright Aces of Spades - but of a different hue. The cobwebs don't photograph so easily: they are still more wondrous.

Today is D-day for the sweet peas, all now turned to straw on their sticks: I can then dig in the horse manure, collected from Bentham yesterday, right across the larger vegetable patch. Farewell wild rocket also therefore.

Hortus Conclusus

This is the description architect Peter Zumthor gives to his construction in the garden of the Serpentine Gallery - a garden within a garden. Unlike in previous years, there is nothing much of beauty visible from the exterior, as you drive through Hyde Park glancing West. Indeed, the structure looks as much as anything like an industrial shed.

Fortune however favours the bold, who walk into one of the openings, turn left or right and then right or left again into the centre of the rectangular space. For there you will find a quite sumptuous display of flowers and grasses - mainly pastel colours, but with many delicate textures and hints of fragrance. I was there in mid-afternoon: it would be interesting to revisit in the late evening of a day that was hotter than yesterday.

So, I award high marks to the plantsman, Piet Oudolf for his tableau vivant; but Zumthor's architecture is surely only a very poor relation to cloisters such as to be found high on Mont St Michel!

Our garden - forget the Chelsea Flower Show

My cousin Bruce wrote recently from New Brunswick about the serious flooding near where they live. "Many streets in the city of Fredericton have turned into canals and families and animals down stream have been evacuated. One farmer had to move 140 milking cows by barge." Here, we have been spared any torrential rain so far. Indeed, it's been dry apart from some rain at the weekend, which has helped our potatoes, beans and sweet peas to put on growth - the photograph was taken early this morning. We are eating our leeks, spinach and rhubarb; and the roses are beginning to look good. Caroline's yellow tree peony has been magnificent this year. We are praying there will be no late frosts, as our bedding plants have mostly gone out now (for the benefit of those being brought round by our selling agents!).