Very VERY late this year, but I’m finally getting to some fruit and veg. Here are some edibles for my #SixOnSaturday. Starting with raspberries, as they are just coming. A few cheeky blackbirds have helped themselves, but they leave most of these delicious fruit for us. These are supposed to be ‘autumn fruiting’: they tend to go from July-November so are great value.

In the veg beds near the raspberries I always grow some chard. They do very well in the cool of Scotland, and are just coming to the ready-to-eat point now.

Near them, in a supposedly sunny spot, courgette usually do well. This year I have just a few tiny ones so far, fingers crossed the flowering means that the fruit will grow before they rot now.

In the greenhouse, the one plant that is absolutely loving a cool year is cucumber. I’ve made up several jars of pickle from them so far, and it looks like there will be many more.

Chillies are SLOW, yet my huge over-winter Alberto Rocoto is coming good. There are lots of purple flowers now, and the first fruit have set. These will end up bright red and about the size of plum tomatoes.

Last, but very much not least (I hope), the very first tomatoes to ripen will be consumed thsi weekend.

I hope you enjoyed my first fruit and veg special of the season. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, its a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

While huge regions of the world swelter in heatwaves, in Scotland we’re sitting well above the jet-stream, with cool northerlies seeming to make every other day around 13 degC. This is one of those days. The unusual weather does make the flowers last longer though. Here are some summer pastels for anyone who might need a cool-down. Starting with one of my favourites, geranium offers lots of ground cover. This little pink one seems to flower for months on end. And what wonderful dark-pink veining.

Hostas have very much enjoyed cool and showery weather. Interestingly, there seem to be fwer slugs and snails munching this year (maybe they like to be warm too). Hostas have delivered wonderful flowers over the last week or so.

Hebe shrubs are native to the south of New Zealand. I suspect they are evolved to be used to lots of rain, look at this display!

Astilbe grow in various spots around the garden, always happiest by the pond. This one has a candy-floss look to it, seeming to glow in the season’s rare sunlight.

I’ve shown these flowers off before, and am sure I will do again. There’s something about the intricate structure of astrantia that keeps darwing me back to them.

Last this week are my snap-dragons. I have a few plants now in pots, given to me by a friend a couple of years ago as tiny seedlings. They seem to winter very well in the greenhouse. These soft pastel pink ones are very calming.

At this time of year, it’s hard to imagine the borders without layers of tall green and beautiful flowers, despite the low temperatures. I hope you enjoyed my midsummer blooms. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, its a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot

July, daytime highs of 15 degC, northerly winds, cloud and rain. I guess I should feel fortunate. It’s a chilly summer, but the flowers seem to love it and last for ages. Food harvest is slow, I have not harvested even broad beans yet, though the strawberries are fabulous this year. I opted for flowers this week, hoping I’ll be able to show you SOME veg further into July. In liu of sunshine, here are some sunshine yellows for my #SixOnSaturday.

Starting with this week’s one edible, as you can see, it’ll be a while before my greenhouse tomatoes are ready. This year’s slow growth is producing lots of flowers, so fingers crossed for an autumn harvest. I do love the spiky detail on the stems of tomato.

Around the pond, native monkey-flowers loves a damp bottom. The bright orange runway lights for bees make the flower seem complex and exotic.

In the main garden borders, lysmachia spread fast, but do look stunning for a couple of weeks in July.

Another native, ladise mantle provides a fluffy bloom offering colour for weeks. Though these plants are reall thugs, their roots even lift garden path cobbles.

Phlomus is another of my favourite border plants, lots of fascinating form, seems to look a little alien?

Last this week, lots of shades of yellow through to orange and red, hypericum pops up all over my garden. I think this one is the medicinal St. John’s Wort.

At this time of year, it’s hard to imagine the borders without layers of tall green and beautiful flowers. I hope you enjoyed my midsummer blooms. And thanks to those leaving comments on the blog – sorry if I don’t always get back to you on time! The blog is going well, but it would be great if more folk on Mastodon, or other parts of the Fediverse got into tooting a Six! Go on, its a much kinder form of social media, not controlled by crazy billionaires. All you need to do is find 6 things in your garden to show us. Then post on social, or add a link at Jim’s blog below. For regulars, our organiser is Jim at https://gardenruminations.co.uk/. And I’m on mastodon @julie3dharris@mastodon.scot