It’s nice to see bees in September. They have a wonderfully heavy way of buzzing between blooms, seemingly stuffed on pollen, but managing to somehow make it to the next flower for a little bit more.

It has been a funny year so far. But the nasturtiums are growing strongly, the bees are buzzing, and the leaves on the trees are only just beginning to turn autumnal. The late summer skies are gorgeous in the garden…

I must now send a huge thank you to my marvellous husband, chief lawn wrangler, pruning practitioner, bramble and bindweed battler. The garden is looking great – while I’ve been busy with work – and it’s all down to him..

Here’s a snap of us taken at the Bishops garden in Wells just before his birthday…

The sunrise is gorgeous at this time of year, and as the nesting season has officially ended, there has been extensive pruning in the neighbourhood, opening up the views to some spectacular recent dawn skies..

I’d organised a visit from some tree surgeons (or tree hitmen in this case) to remove a rapidly growing pine tree that was uncomfortably close to our house. They chopped it down and chipped it up within a couple of hours, before tackling the overgrown laurel hedge, and cutting back the elder.

It wasn’t a gentle process, but I do think its for the best, and gives a lot more light to the garden. And we kept a few rounds from the pine to use as rustic garden seating.

As summer fades, it seems time to consider lessons for next year, and I’d like a longer season of flower and colour across the garden, with more nectar for pollinating insects and berries for birds to feast on… A few more blooms for the house would be nice, but that all seems much less important than biodiversity for the bugs…

Well, as John Lennon almost said, life’s what happens while you’re making other plans. So long as there’s sunshine and seeds there’s potential for flowers and fruit in the future.

I’m very happy to have a garden to enjoy, and I hope that whatever you’re up to goes much better than you might have expected.

Much love!

Jen xx

PS – I’ve been growing a string of hearts from the landing window down the bannister by the stairs. So far, three steps in five months. Perhaps by next year it will make it to the bottom of the staircase!