Hard to believe we are heading into the last week of August. So here is the six from this week’s garden.
- Despite the damp morning this large white was hanging about.
2. It could probably smell these – brassicas. The wet summer has suited pretty much all our brassicas and they are doing well – but netting is essential to keep at least the majority of butterflies out.
3. Cucumbers have been coming but not in any quantity – I think it may not be hot enough for them, even in the greenhouse.
4. Another item that is scarce this year is fruit. I counted four pears on this tree today and that is all the pears from three trees and apples are equally scarce. I blame the late May frost.
5. This on the other hand was a success. I collected some bloody cranesbill, Geranium sanguineum, seed from wild plants growing in the Burren last year and have managed to grow two plants. I don’t think they are frost hardy so I am going to keep them in the polytunnel in pots.*UPDATE – Thanks to Eliza for spotting that this is probably not Geranium sanguineum but possibly Geranium sylvaticum, in which case it is not from the Burren but from seed from a friend’s garden!
6. And finally this week – one of my favourite later summer wildflowers – devils bit scabious in the meadow.
Thanks to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.
Murtagh's Meadow 
We have an indigenous scabious in South Africa too – much paler than yours.
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We have another wild scabious here too – called field scabious – it is paler blue and has a larger flower and likes drier conditions.
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I like that image of the scabious with the pollinators. I wonder if your geranium is a cross? It doesn’t look like G. sanguineum to me, which has fuller petals, more rounded overall, than this one with 5 distinct petals. It has more the look of G. sylvestris. Curious!
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Oops, I meant G. sylvaticum! 😉
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I have looked up the flower online and you are right it is not Geranium sanguineum, the shape is all wrong. I will have to correct on post. Thank you Eliza.
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It could that one Eliza. I did have geranium seed from a friend too (though I can’t remember what her flower colour was) and I could have got the pots mixed up.
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A sorry tale of pears and apples and cucumbers but the brassica should be a good crop hopefully. I am staying out of the geranium conversation 😀😀
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With veg growing there is at least usually one or two things that grow well each year. So it is year of the brassica 🙂
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We had a bumper crop of grape and Tiny Tom tomatoes this year
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Apples have been equally disappointing here in Waterford except for one tree which has always been a reliably heavy cropper and will be ready in about a month’s time. Geranium sanguineum is very hardy, by the way.
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Hopefully next year will be better apple year. And thanks for tip re geranium
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The scabious looks like a grandmother brooch—very sparkly.
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That is a great description 🙂
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It’s a wonderful treat to enjoy this series, M M
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Thank you Amy – so glad you are enjoying it
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The scabious is very popular! I’ve had hardly any flowers in my yard this year – no lilacs, no roses, not even any buddleia flowers.
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Sorry to hear you have no flowers this year.
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The weather has played havoc in our garden too… between Ellen and Francis it seems as if most of the place has gone into horizontal mode!
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Yes weather is a bit all over the place – runner beans ha e suffered a bit here
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Oh gosh, how beautiful they all are! Well photographed and splendid colours.
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Thank you
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We only have 2 pear trees: one has produced one little pear and the other – nothing! Love your geranium.
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Yes from our three pear trees I think we will have about 4 pears!
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