As the longest day approaches everything in Nature is full of vitality and bursting with energy. The weather is good… not as hot as our recent heatwave which suits me…and probably most Irish people better. I don’t think we are genetically disposed to very hot weather…most of us wilt when it gets above 23 or 24c.
Cherries are starting to swell on the trees. It’s looking good for Apple and Plum harvests too…and of course the Blackcurrants never let us down. Even in the recent bad Summers the Blackcurrants came up trumps. The seem to like the conditions here in the north-west. Lots of freezing, jamming and chutney making to be done later it seems.
In the polytunnel the first bed is made.
The first thing to be planted was a Mexican Midget tomato. It already has flowers so shouldn’t be too long before we get lovely little sweet Tomatoes here. Several varieties of Lettuce, Basil, Rocket, Chervil and Dill were planted plus 3 more Tomato plants. That’s that bed full…time to get another one constructed.
In the front garden Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus) is in flower beside the pond. Not one of my favourite shrubs but I can’t see us taking it out either…but then again maybe we will. Andy isn’t a big fan of it either.
Within the pond the Water Lily has been teasing us for days with it’s semi-open blooms.
Under the shelter of the verandah the Clematis has burst into flower. Not the dark purple I’d like but still quite pretty. It’s one of the plants the previous owners planted here. Maybe I will replace it in the Winter with Clematis jackmanii my absolute favourite Clematis.
On the lane the Hawthorn flowers are just going over. Soon they will make little Haws which will light up the hedgerows with their vibrant red come Autumn. The cycle of the year continues…as it always does.
fromacountrycottage 
Beautiful place you have! Thanks for tending it so lovingly and sharing it with us.
Everything is looking summery…love that pond and wonderful veggies will be coming soon. Happy Summer! We are supposed to get hot temps finally the first day of summer.
What a lovely garden…filled with wonder and beauty 🙂
So beautiful and so green! I love all the pictures 🙂
Your garden looks divine! I especially love your pond. It’s so pretty.
Thanks! It was made by the previous owners of our house. It’s full of wildlife too.
Oh yes summertime…. Michelle
…and the living is easy.
Nice to see your polytunnel up and running – you’ll soon be back to your old form. Your garden is certainly coming along nicely – let’s hope that the solstice brings summer with it.
Has’nt been bad so far this year really. Don’t want it too hot.
You can really feel the energy in the plants at the moment, it’s almost heady.
It certainly is…all that energy transfers to us too I think. Everyone feels better at this time of year.
Your garden is looking good, I love your pond, I have tried to grow clematis here but they don’t seem to like our soil which is ph neutral, the only one that is growing for me is the old faithful Montana.
After Jackmanii Clematis Montana would be my next favourite.
It never ceases to amaze me that a tiny seed is planted in the ground and grows to feed us.
Now, we just need the heat to boost our very short growing season.
Jane x
It is quite amazing really when one stops to think about it. Hope all’s well in your neck of the woods.
Bridget x.
It is a wonderful time of year, isn’t it? Everything seems to just want to grow for us 🙂
Solstice blessings for this upcoming weekend 🙂
It is the best time, everything so full of life. Hope you have a lovely Solstice time too.
Bridget.
Reblogged this on A Random Harvest and commented:
Hugelkultur in Ireland! Thought a couple of you might be interested . . . 🙂
Thanks!
You have a beautiful garden!
Years ago I used to put up jams with my Mother-in-law….that brought back good memories for me..Michelle
Never heard it expressed that way. It works though as one is literally putting up for when the season of plenty is over.
I have extreme garden envy! As a horticulturalist living on the other side of the world (Tasmania) where we get very little rain over our summer months (3 rain events all summer long last summer and summer lasted for 5 months!) I can only dream of having a lush green garden like you. At best I could cover the ground with dry climate ground covers still it’s great to peek over your “neighbours” fence, even if they do live on the other side of the world :). That snowball bush that you and your husband don’t like is extremely hardy and grows here unwatered through the summer. I can only begin to imagine a place where you could fill that gap easily 😉
Can’t imagine so little rain. I like the rain and how it renews and refreshes everything. I suppose where we’re born gives each of us a different reality. Enjoy sunshiny Tasmania.
it’s all looking lovely Bridget, so much lushness, sunrise, sunset, time rolls on, Frances
As the saying goes “time and tide wait for no one.” We need to make the most of each and every day.
Solstice blessings,
Bridget.
Oh! your garden looks so fabulous, so interesting, lots of things to see and observe and enjoy. Ah! I wish I had so much place to plant so many trees and ponds.
Everything looks absolutely beautiful, Bridget. You are truly blessed and gifted with many green fingers, and the earth thanks you for all the life and colour you bring with every seed and bulb and tree you plant.
In honour of the summer solstice, here’s a poem I found that is quite beautiful in its imagery and celebration of the life-giving sun, written by Jehanne Mehta.
SUNFIRE
To light the sunfire in this land
We carry a torch, we carry a brand.
To kindle the sunfire in all hearts
We offer our song we offer our dance.
When swirling flames with red tongues fly
And grey smoke billows to the sky,
What hold us back shall burn away
In the singing sunfire of midsummers day
Hi June,
thanks once again for your kind words. Just love that poem. I shall have to use it in a post…share the beauty of the lines.
Solstice blessings to you both,
Bridget xx.
You’re very welcome, Bridget.
Here is another beautiful poem wrtten by Jehanne entitled ‘Solstice,’ that touched me deeply.
==================================
Solstice
What do we want of this summer solstice,
this high point of the sun,
this sun that opens us to
out there, where the sky is widest,
blue, swept clean by the gyring flight of
swifts,
this sun that lets us out of the
narrow rib cage, the constricting bone,
so the heart overflows
like poppies, pimpernel
and the abundant clusters of sweet
lime flowers?
What do we want of this high sun,
but warmth, but a light to ignite
the only flame worth the candle,
in the thrash of the hard,
the drag of this down, misshapening
dimension,
the only flame to take us over
and through,
right into our own central sun?
You said it:
love,
the fire of love.
===========================================
Solstice salutations and blessings to you, Andy, Lettie and Freddie, and all who share your patch of paradise with you.