Summer update.......where does the time go?

You have a truly beautiful garden ! Welcome back !!

Hi what a lovely garden with some gorgeous plants and loads of colour as well oddbillie, like the cat.

Amazing flowers and veggies you have! Glad to see that nothing has suffered from your lack of time. Hope that your busy spell at work settles down soon, and you can have more "quality time" out there. :-)

Hey Dan the Man!! Good to hear from you again!
Your pad is looking truly fab ... well jealous! That is surely the tidiest veggie patch I've ever seen too!

I know how work time can take over your life ... some nights there's only time for watering late at night here but looking at your flowers you've managed to keep up. Calendula & marigolds are stunning & love the last shot with different star turns getting in the picture!

Why is it cats never appreciate the wonder that is our gardens?!

Lovely blogdate! ;O)))

Grandmage: Thanks for your comment and nice as it is to be back, alas, it will just be dipping in and out again as the young girl who was in the accident will be off for another couple of weeks at least so a couple more looooooong weeks ahead!

Mavisc52: Many thanks and the cat is one of two we recently adopted from our local Cats Protection. This one is Sophie and that seems to be her favourite spot to lounge!

David: Me too! I did manage to sit out there for about 3 hours one afternoon last week and I consumed a bottle of red wine sat under the shade of the Rowan tree.....very nice too! Not had a glass of the old red for about 4 years and it went down rather well, considering I don't generally drink in the house......as we don't go out much, I don't drink much generally! Been sampling some of the veggies already and the Cut & Come again and Iceberg lettuces are delicious whilst the wild rocket is very peppery - it gave Ali a burst of her taste senses a couple of weeks ago when she had a cold and could smell or taste nothing......except the punch of the wild rocket, lol! The sorrel is quite nice although nowhere near big enough. Hoping for some time out there soon. Been out yesterday and got another day off today as I will be doing the long stretch from tomorrow. Footie later, I fancy! Hope you're well:o))

Fluff: Bonjeur Madame Fluffybelle! Hope you're well and enjoying the glorious weather. By the way, I haven't forgotten the Aquilegia seeds. Just waiting from them to brown off! It's funny coz when I wander around the garden, I never think it looks right and then I come on here and see so many different gardens and want a bit of each....I wish I had the space! Funny innit, how we like everyone else's gardens and get jealous when we see how fab they are but never truly appreciate our own....maybe!

It's how it feels here with the late-night watering routine. Home for 8.30pm and usually watering the crops and plants whilst in my work suit, shirt and tie! Then I go and shower and eat! MIND YOU.........we did have a win on the Euro Lottery this weekend which will enable us to live out our dream........a bottle of red and a bag of skittles.......okay, it was only £6.40 but it was a win and a start on the way to the big one!!!

I'm well chuffed with the Marigolds & Calendula seeing as they were from seed and the last pic was skimming across the Acer and beyond which are all in planters of varying description and size upon the decking. As for Sophie, in fairness, she normally watches me if I'm out there but on this occasion.....well, a cat has to sleep sometime.....especially if they are a house cat and do nothing all day.......BUT SLEEP!!!!!

Nice to hear from you and will PM for your address when the seeds are ready. Hope I get them right!

Loved your blog, your garden is truly gorgeous. What a riot of colour. Beautiful. I can't decide which pic I like the best!

Thanks Jan!

I would really love to have a big border but the one side is taken up with conifers which were there before we moved in 20 months ago. The soil, although quite nice that side, is full of roots.....and I mean full! So, everything is pretty much in planters and pots of all shapes and sizes! I try to make it colourful and move things around from time to time when bits die back or when new additions arrive in the garden! Thanks for your kind comments:o))

i love your veg patch,your beautiful flowers and your blog.welcome back you've been missed!

Thanks Suey, that's really kind of you to say so:o)) But alas, I must go again as a Belgian Abbey Beer and a game of footie is calling!!

Thanks again, really appreciate it.

Aw thanks OB ... bongjer to you too!
Look forward to the seeds but don't fret if they elude you! I promised some to a lady up the road & then forgot which ones she wanted 'till it was too late!
I water in my work clothes too ... maybe we could start a fashion trend!

Congrats on your big win ... don't be tempted to splash out on fast cars & expensive holidays will you? Unless you invite all us Goyers too of course! ;o)

so enjoyed your update Dan, and well done keeping your garden going and so much work on to, lovely pics and so much beautifull colour in your garden at the moment,veg patch is so neat, looks great how you have designed it all,nice to see you to ;o)

What if we were to design a whole range of Watering-in-your-Work-Clothes that folk could wear to work and then leave on when they come home from work to water their gardens?

Oh, I guess that's what we're already doing! Forget that one then!!

Do me a favour Fluffy, try not to shout about the big lotto win as I don't want any begging letters/emails etc. It's going to be hard to keep it quiet, I know, but if you could try for me please!!

After that footie game I can do anything you like Oddbillio!

If you've got a few pence left over perhaps you could start a fund for a better team in 4 years time? ;o((

what a crap game, that goal should never been disaloud,, damn,, but wouldnt have made any odds, useless springs to mind ;o(

Yep! Rubbish! Gives the Germans every right to be arrogant ... they deserved to win!

I gave up at 3-1! The english defence has more leaks than a BP pipeline! Never seen so much red in such a confined space in my life....I don't think they realised the pitch was as wide as it was......unfortunately for the English, the Germans DID!!

England were utter crap and deserved to go out and quite honestly, after their overall performance at the tournament, should hang their heads in shame and apologise to te nation.

As Jim Royle would say:

"World-Class players......MY A#$E!!!"

Oh, thanks San for your nice comments too. Very much appreciated. Just been watering the gardenio before I now sit down to a nice chicken salad wth home-grown lettuces! YUMMY!

Truly gorgeous garden. I loved every one of your plants and they all look perfect why don't all mine conform and stay errect and in formation. Beautiful you have performed miracles. :+)))))))

nice eating your hard work Dan,, we just had a lovely salad to,,, from tesco haahah

You may have been working hard Dan but your garden certainly hasn't been neglected. So many lovely colourful flowers and great pics of them too, well done. Happy GoY birthday is it really a year.......I suppose you'll be having a minute's silence soon on the anniversary of poor old Neil's demise! LOL
Was there a football match on then???

Nice tohave you around again, lovely blog and your garden looks great.

"Drinking in" your wonderful surroundings was what I meant - how astute, lol!!
The plants seem to be behaving well, in any case! Hope Ali has had the nefit of her rocket blast :-)). sorry to read above that you still have another couple of weeks of the heavy shifts - same with me, too, being short-staffed and holidays beginning. Sad to hear about the girl's accident, though. at least your extra hours' are due to a genuine misfortune, and not folks skiving because of the good weather - Grrrr! Hope she recovers well. Love your stunning pics of the "humble" French Marigold, btw. Left you a tip on saving the seeds for a free sowing of them next year. :-))

Grannysue: Thanks for your kind comments. The idea is to have a colourful and country-style 'ish' garden and it kind of works! Ali says she really appreciates it when she comes home from a shift and opens the bottom gate to be greeted by all the colour and variety. There's still a way to go and more to gravel but all in good time.

San: Lol! Only problem is that the cukes won't be ready by the time we've finished the lettuce due to having to replant the final 2 seeds. Lost 4 in total! Never mind, 'every little helps'!

Lily: LMAO! Discreet change of name from Mossy to Neil there!! Yes, so much has happened in the past year and I often look into the pond and wipe a tear as I think of dear old Neil....sadly missed but never forgotten! Glad you like the garden and yes, can't believe it meself...a year come July! God, doesn't time fly when you're getting old! By the way, it was a poor excuse for a game of football:o(( Still, the Belgian Wheat beer went down well all the same:o))

Clarice: Thanks and good to be around again. Hope you're well.

David: Lol! 'Great minds' and all that:o)) Had another cheeky glass out there earlier and Ali partook in a Guiness....YUK! So, you know about the long-shift thing yourself! Yes, she's a good kid in fairness and was quite upset at not being able to come to work. She is my weekend cashier and is currently covering my only part-time girl who is on maternity leave so now Iam 2 down. Add to that a full timer off every week with holiday and it only leaves 4 of us to run a big double unit open 10-8 Mon-Fri and 10-7 on Saturday. Sunday opening as ell! So, when you try to maintain high standards as I have for 13 years, it becomes difficult as you constantly chase your tail. Still, more importantly, she is on the mend despite being VERY lucky to have walked away from the scene with only cuts, bruises and a very bruised collar-bone! She hit a pot-hole late at night, after picking her sister up from work. Car flung across road into post before rolling down quite a steep embankment. Car hit a tree and was a write-off!! One, or rather 2, very lucky girls! Thanks for the tip by the way. Now you just need to guide me through where the seeds actually are when I deadhead!

Great to see you back on-line Odd, even if it is only briefly while work demands are met! Beautiful photos of a stunning garden~think I have gone green with envy my friend~enjoy your blogs as always! :~)))))))

I thought I'd got away with a sneaky correction there Dan- can't get one past you can I LOL! Neil's definitely not forgotten but the old memory is not what it used to be on names :o((

garden is looking super Dan. the lupins look especially good

FloriB: Thanks, nice to be around agin and nice to hear from you. Hope you're keeping well.

Lily: LMAO! Neil will, I'm sure, forgive you your senior moment....lol!

Mageth: The Lupins are starting to die back but new ones are replacing the dieing ones. First time for them so quite pleased.

Am keeping good thanks, Odd, great to have you blogging again, and I love love love that garden of yours!! :~))

Work and family commitments sometimes get in the way Ob, I`m always behind these days and I`m s`posed to be retired with lots of time on my hands, think I`m doing something wrong..Your photo`s are lovely so obviously your garden is not suffering........

Glad you're well Flori and spread the love love loving.....!

Lincs: Thanks for the comments and yes, time just flies doesn't it and before you know it, your weeks on and realisng that there's so much you meant to do but haven't but will....but then probably won't because other things get in the way!!!!! Pheeeew....broke a sweat just thinking about what I was hoping to do but haven't but should....shut up OB!!!!

Cheers guys:o))

I can't say enough wonderful things about your garden - every bit of it looks fabulous! Kind of how I'd like mine to look one day, only I don't have much of a little thing called sunlight so that will never happen. It's just so colorful & healthy and lush & clearly you've put a whole lot of work into it. I especially love your lobelia planter.

it abserlotly lovely glad to c u bak . dont work to hard .all work and no play!!!!!!!!!!