I Love July For...

Work in progress on replanting the double terrace beds 

 ... the switch

 There comes a point in July - or June if we're very lucky - when the heat of the day means gardening activities switch to early in the morning and the evening.

I love it when this happens as I'll happily spend a couple of hours up at the plot, then come home for breakfast and still feel there's plenty of time left in the rest of the day. Evening watering duties are also a pleasant way to keep cool and never a chore.

The switch is even more important this year as I'm remodelling part of the garden. July isn't usually the best time to do this, but a knee injury earlier in the year prevented me from doing the work in April/May as planned. I find digging at 8am is quite therapeutic!

If I'm up at the plot, then another glory of July is the golden last hour when harvesting activities take place. This week's stars are gooseberries and autumn - yes autumn - raspberries. I always forget how intensely flavoured gooseberries are, so it's good to have that summery reminder.

If there's time, then another pleasure is to go down to the shady patio at the bottom of the garden for an intensive study of the birch tree branches swaying gently in the breeze. I'm always amazed how much of this is conducted from the inside of my eyelids ;)

And then there's always a spot of Pimm's to enjoy later on in the evening whilst watching the bats circle above the garden.

What do you love about July?

Comments

  1. Mark and Gaz2 July 2014 at 10:54

    Your July sounds so dreamy and idyllic! I love July for a million and one reasons, suffice to say it's my favourite month :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP2 July 2014 at 13:05

      Hi Guys - reading it back, it does sound rather idyllic! Suffice to say this July also has its share of hard work to make the idyllic times even more special :)

      Delete
  2. rusty duck2 July 2014 at 10:56

    Good luck with the terraces. I am doing the same job but don't have a knee injury to blame, just correcting what I should have got right in April. Working outside in the cool of the evening though is lovely and I too have made the switch. Not that I couldn't be tempted by the Pimms..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP2 July 2014 at 13:07

      TBH I'm correcting years of getting it wrong, such as letting a self-sown Cotoneaster horizontilis get absolutely rampant and shade out lots of other more choice plants. It's been fun to replan the beds and choose plants I've enjoyed seeing in other gardens and the shows, so maybe that neglect was worthwhile ;)

      Delete
  3. Catherine: Made with love and garlic2 July 2014 at 11:30

    Long evenings outside, lowered voices, good wine, the smell of the honeysuckle. A morning potter with coffee in search of a few berries to top cereal with. The fun of knowing that seed sowing is still going on so that "fresh" joy usually found in spring when you see new growth continues. July is an amazing month!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP2 July 2014 at 13:09

      It certainly is an amazing month Catherine! Thanks for stopping by to share what you love about July :)

      Delete
  4. Pauline2 July 2014 at 18:55

    July is a wonderful month, most of the hard work has been done, any left can be fitted in between enjoying the garden! It is impossible to work in the heat of the day, so relaxing with a good book in the shade with a long cold drink is just what is needed!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Linda6 July 2014 at 04:31

    I love YOUR July's!! We are enjoying our gazebo and the watering at night .....filling the bird feeders....listening to the night sounds as we sip wine in our gazebo - as we are doing right now! So far it has NOT hit 100 degrees here! That's amazing since we live in Texas where we usually get triple digits in MAY!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous6 July 2014 at 11:43

    What I love about July is that it is a real summer month over here, and yet it's not that hot as it gets in June and August...that's why I like July more. Speaking of things I like, your floor tiles on that picture above are amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. littleRamstudio10 July 2014 at 10:55

    July is all about long days spent in the garden and hopefully having time to sit and admire all the hard work.
    Fab blog!
    Heather :)

    ReplyDelete

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