Heather-clad moorland
I thought it was about time I wrote a post; it’s been a while. I’m not sure what happened but I had got to a point where I just felt like I needed a break. I have spent so much time over the last months in front of my computer that the blog had started to feel like an extension of work, which was never the intention. I’ve missed not reading other blogs, as well as writing my own but one of the downsides with blogging and social media is it’s quite addictive. I thought it was best to go cold turkey. Well I say that, but I have now joined Instagram which I’m loving, so I didn’t manage to wean myself of it completely. I’m not sure whether I should be worried by that or not?
My blogging break coincided with a bout of gardening torpor. This loss of energy and even interest in gardening always seems to happen in late July and into August, a reaction possibly to the plateau my garden and allotment have reached. When it first strikes it takes me by surprise. I love gardening, so the sudden onset of plant apathy is initially worrying. It feels like gardening is in my blood so how come I’d rather be anywhere than my plot. Of course, everyone needs a break even from something they love, to get those creative juices flowing again. A few gardens visits later and a determination to keep on producing salad crops into autumn and winter meant my gardening mojo returned. It’s amazing what the sight of a sprouting seeds can do to re-energise a gardener. There’s also something about the approach of September. I don’t know about you but it always feels like the start of something. More like a new year than New Year. Maybe it’s because for so long the academic calendar governed my life but the first hints of autumn and I want to rush out and buy a fancy notebook and start learning something new. I love this sudden spurt of enthusiasm which helps to temper the looming prospect of dark nights.
Dove Cottage Garden, Halifax
The garden plans can begin again. My bulb order has been made, there are hardy annuals to sow for overwintering and borders to redesign. I’m learning to embrace the shrub. Herbaceous perennials are my ‘thing’ but I am learning that a bit more structure and interest is needed. A sarcococca has been planted in the front garden for a shot of winter scent. It’s strategic planting position will also, hopefully, stop a part of the garden being used by visitors as a short cut to the front door and as a litter tray by my neighbour’s cat. Shrubs will feature more prominently in my back garden too by the end of autumn.
I visited a stunning garden and plant nursery on a recent trip to visit family. Dove Cottage just outside Halifax was hugely impressive and deserves a post of its own. A celebration of late flowering herbaceous perennials and grasses it provided buckets of inspiration for getting some more colour into my front garden for next summer. There was a whistle-stop visit to West Dean Walled Garden in West Sussex which is like a small piece of gardening heaven. I fell in love with it so much I could have quite happily squatted in one of the greenhouses. And finally, we had some free time at last to get out into the local countryside. We walked in the Brecon Beacons and picked bilberries in lashing rain on the side of a mountain. But, perhaps most exciting of all, our pond, the slimy, green soup that was such an embarrassment last year has turned into a proper home for wildlife.
Our frog
I was so disheartened last year as pond plants died and nothing took up residence, although I couldn’t blame them. I had been contemplating moving the pond but then newly purchased oxygenators started to thrive and the water at least looked clear and more inviting. There were no tadpoles though or any noticeable signs of pond dwelling creatures. Then one day, a few weeks ago, I had a close encounter with a frog. I was tidying up the clippings from pruning some box. My hands went in to pull out some leaves and one of them came out, momentarily holding a frog by one of its legs. As my brain registered what was happening I made a fairly undignified screech. I think we were both surprised by the experience. I did get me thinking though. If we had a frog in the garden may be it was using the pond. And it was. A few days after we caught sight of two eyes poking out above the surface of the water. A week or so later I discovered that we have become a two frog pond. Not only that but we’ve seen bees land on the surface to drink. There’s something immensely satisfying about knowing that we’ve helped to create a space that is attracting creatures into our garden. And it has now become part of my daily routine to pop out and see if I can spot Buster (the first frog’s name courtesy of Sara @myflowerpatch) and Betty. I have no idea how you would sex a frog and I imagine the logistics of catching them maybe a somewhat traumatic experience for all parties involved. I am hopeful though that we may have the tiny wriggle of tadpoles next spring.
wellywoman 
Great to have you back WW! I do know just what you mean about August – for me it is the drought and the thought that I should seriously planting more that is completely tolerant of the hot, very hot, dry summers. Glad the pons is doing its stuff, good to have visitors and residents.
Thank you Christina. I’m hoping I don’t have to disappear again, although my book is being edited at the moment so it’s hectic again. What sort of summer has it been there this year? We have, at last, had something that could class as a summer although the intense heat of July has not returned.
Welcome back, I’ve missed your posts! Your photo of dove Cottage garden is delightful, just how a border should look at this time of year. So glad you have a couple of frogs in your pond, watch out next February for your fogspawn. I think you’ll find the females are larger than the males, but then you would need to see them both together to differentiate!
Aw! Thank you Pauline :). I would highly recommend a visit to Dove Cottage. I’m hoping to write a post about it next week. I’m so chuffed about the frogs and if we do get frog spawn I’ll be over the moon.
Hello again Welly! I assumed your absence was due to too much to fit into the day – at least that’s the reason I’ve had less blogging time! I think up the next post but don’t have time to finish it – and far too many photos to go through! I’ve always loved the idea of starting afresh in September, it fits well with the gardening year as it’s time to start planning for spring and I’m also back to college then for the next couple of years! Would love to know your bulb selection – next post perhaps? – and which supplier you’ve found to be good. It’s my next gardening chore, after I’ve got my winter veg and salads in.
Well done for getting your pond going – really important to provide water for bees, especially with a landing pad for them as they can’t swim!
Hi Caro, I think I lost my writing oomph. 😉 Just needed to do some different things. Always good to come back to something you love with renewed energy. I can highly recommend Peter Nyssen. Great prices and a good selection. I’ve ended up getting all my bulbs from them this time. Just so much easier and saves on p&p. The bees land on the oxygenators they look so sweet taking a drink.
Welcome back WW 🙂 I think that a blogging break was called for after all the hours you must have spent word processing. Good to read that your gardening va va voom has returned. I know exactly what you mean about September as I spent all my working life geared to the academic calendar. Spooky that you mention Dove Cottage Nursery as it’s high up on the wanting to visit list. I’ve found the ultimate carrot to dangle in front of himself – a camp site nearby complete with on site microbrewery. I may even get there this year 🙂 Good luck with the pond and hope that there are little tadpoles come spring.
Thank you Anna. It felt like I’d run out of things to say which my husband would find hard to believe. 😉 I hadn’t, just needed a rest from writing. I can very much recommend Dove Cottage, it’s looking great at the moment. Hoping to do a post on it next week. OH would like the sound of that micro-brewery. If you do get there the plant nursery is excellent, leave plenty of room for purchases. 🙂
Congratulations on the beautiful results from your gardening, especially the pond!
Thanks Sofia. It’s funny how having a few frogs in the garden can make me so happy.
Oh I’m sure! I was in a garden watching bees in a garden working away at the flowers, and I was over the moon! 🙂
I’ve struggled with gardening enthusiasm a bit lately too. But I totally understand that burst of energy for things in September. I have loads of plans and things I want to do. Glad things are arriving to live near your pond. I put one in last year, and my little boys spend hours peering in at the various creatures in it. We have dozens of tiny froggies hopping about the place now as well. And yes, they do always make me jump!
I know so many gardeners who seem to suffer from a lull in August maybe we should give it a name. Ponds are such fascinating places, I would have loved one when I was little.
With you absolutely re West Dean, WW. Fantastic place – I had to be pulled out of the glasshouses. The vines and peaches (I think) were incredible. Handy to have so many students to help in that massive walled garden, I imagine. Dave
The peaches were incredible when we visited too. I’ve always loved Heligan and I never thought I’d say this but West Dean topped it for me, certainly the walled garden element. It’s a real treat to see everything full of plants. It’s sad to see those half restored walled gardens where the glasshouses are in such a sorry state and disused. Strangely they don’t actually teach horticulture. They have a few days here and there but no proper courses.
A most welcome, and enjoyable, read as always.
I don’t particularly like July/August and if it’s hot, like it was, I find it an effort to do much at all especially plotting.
Good to see that you’ve got frogs which are a welcome sight in any garden. xx
Thank you Flighty. I’m hoping to get back into the swing of things over the coming week, although the book is being edited so I have a feeling I might disappear again but only briefly this time. ;)I don’t mind heat, it’s humidity I don’t like and it does tend to get quite humid here but this summer has been so much better than last year. It’s actually been like summer. Now what I’d really love is an autumn with lots of warm sunshine before winter sets in.
The frogs have been a real treat. It’s only a very tiny thing but it does make me feel like I’m helping in some small way to care for the planet. x
One thing about our climate is that we do have an enforced break of sort rather than one long summer. We may moan about it sometimes but it is a good thing as it gives us variety. I too uised to be ruled by the school calendar now its the chnaging seasons.
I agree Sue, I do like the variety in our seasons, although a longer summer would be nice. Two months just doesn’t seem long enough. 😉
Hi welly woman! I’ve been on and off with blogging these last few months too. It’s hard because every day I’ll have something I want to blog about but just find it hard to get the time. Also I was thinking about spring bulbs too then thought to myself but there’s still so much of late summer left yet! I think the really hot weather then the dip and the grey skies has confused me and my garden but I’m holding out on the bulb order and still gardening as if it is sunny and warm! My fruit and veg are still growing like crazy and we saw a frog amongst the courgettes! Cool you have a 2 frog pond 🙂
Hi Anna, It’s such a busy time of year to try and fit everything in. I hope you’re right about there being lots of late summer left. They were talking about frost on the weather last night. EEEK!
Hello again WW! And I’m so glad it isn’t just me who gets ‘gardening torpor’ at this time of year – phew – but, like you, I do need to get back into it. Big Planting starts soon, after all. Maybe we all need to just stop a little and take a breath, and this summer has been a good one for doing just that.
PS: Congratulations on your frogs, I’m sure they’ll be very happy!
Hi Kate, Gardening torpor seems to be quite a common affliction. My mojo came back, then went again but I need to psyche myself up for all the bulb planting to come.
I really identified with your post, I run out of energy at this time of year and am then full of guilt that I did not achieve everything on my planned list. I love your pond tales, just watching your new inhabitants sounds such a restful thing to do.
Hi Julie, It’s good to know it’s not just me. I think the list of things to do in a garden never really gets any shorter. I’d love to feel as if I was always on top of things but I think I might be happier if I accepted that’s unlikely to ever happen. ;)The discovery of the frogs has been a real treat for me.
Good to have you back Welly, I know how you feel, my enthusiasm for my garden has gone up and down this year, largely down to how much time I have, have mostly kept up with my allotment but it does need a bit tidying now. I loved Dove Cottage when I visited and the nursery is a treat. Look forward if you blog about it separately. Glad you feel you are getting your mojo back. September is a lovely time in the garden.
Hi Annie,It is good to hear other gardeners have the same problem. I always worry when I feel like I’m losing interest in my garden but sometimes the garden jobs feel like chores when they have to squeezed in amongst everything else that needs doing. It would be nice to be more relaxed about things. On the other hand it is good to be busy. 😉 Dove Cottage is lovely. Hopefully I’ll get round to posting about it. 🙂 Enjoy September.