Well hello from the very occasional blogger - there is nothing like a tourism business (www.discoverenglandtours.co.uk) to keep you away from the garden and non-essential duties.  Well, the visitors are giving us a break for a few days so there  is time for a roundup on the garden front!

So the hot sunny weather of June has left us to be replaced by a cool and wet Atlantic flow. Heavy rain today which has now been replaced by clearer skies and the brisk winds that come after the storm - its around 16 C outside at 8.30pm.Too cold!! The last day of term bbq with Lucy's friends was cancelled of course.

The beans have flowers and are setting pods - but seem to be taking an age to come. We re looking forward to a change from lettuce and want beans - now - please! The courgette plants are huge and producing well - they sat around, hardly growing for a long time but finally got into gear. I suppose it was the hot weather in June that did it. We have recently planted more lettuce (direct in the ground this time), late carrots, fennel and mixed salad leaves. The rain will help with the germination - so long as its not too cold!! The leeks are planted out - a bit late but we have remembered to cover them against the leek moth, so perhaps we will get better results than last year.

In the flower garden Sarah Ravens new Calendula officinalis Indian Prince are coming into flower - they are beautiful with long stems and dark orange flowers - must take a photo! Sunflowers are flowering and the perennials such Achilliea the Pearl and Echinacae. Paul's collection of Dierama, all grown from seed, are in flower and looking splendid - they will be enjoying the rain too. The roses are finished, more or less, so when finished here I am going o look up 'how to prune rambling rose' because it looks like the time is right!

In the greenhouse. the tomatoes are ripening and the cucumber Telegraph has gone mad producing fruit - definitely one o grow next year.

Tomorrow I will be out there assessing the damage done by the rain and probably finding some weeds to pull - you too I expect.

Happy gardening

Susy