Lucy’s Garden Journal – July

Let’s just start by saying that this month, the garden has been full to bursting. All that sun then the constant downpours have caused everything to shoot up in a considerable way. So much so that this month, I felt there was so much to capture that I invited Molly from our creative team down for an afternoon in the garden together. Expect less scrawlings from me this month for we got rather trigger happy instead! 

At the start of July, I spent much team deadheading my roses. The more you cut down, the more they’ll flower as they say. 

Just like last month, I feel like I’ve also been on constant bug watch – all those slugs and pesky lily beatles! I just can’t seem to escape them all. 
Bees however, they’re more than welcome. The more the merrier! They seem to love my allium forelock. When I look around the garden now, I can’t quite believe the contrast to last summer. It’s thriving and just a joy to see. 

Anyone who follows our stories might remember me writing about walking onions last year. You don’t actually have to plant them again; those that don’t get eaten will eventually fall off and into the bed. They grow back the following year depending on where they land – hence the name!

On the subject of vegetables, we invited friend of Rowen & Wren’s Kat Goldin to write on courgette-growing last month. I have a few of my own coming through. I can’t wait to use them in the kitchen; I’ve earmarked a recipe that we’ll be sharing on our grid later this month.

I’m thrilled to show you an update on my run of Helianthus too (visit our Instagram highlight here and tap through to see). I planted them here with my salmon pink, rose and red-toned nasturtiums below and I just love the combination. You can cook with them too so I’ll be be sprinkling them in salads and the such.

I also planted lots of fennel this year which I like to keep in the bed until autumn as it develops into such a lovely seed head. Plus, it smells delicious.

Onto my summer pastel achillea – a great filler and adds so much colour to the beds amongst the greenery. Another favourite sight of mine so far this month. Just like the changeable weather, the light has been all over the place too. One minute we’re stood here in glorious sunlight and the next it’s overcast. I can’t keep up!Stepping into the greenhouse for a moment, I’m checking in on my tomatoes on a daily basis. They need lots of water and seem quite happy in here thus far – famous last words! And remember last month when I mentioned the mini watermelons I was trying to grow for Alma? They’re starting to form ever so slowly…

Just beyond the glasshouse at the very back of the garden is our tiny meadow. It’s perfect for inviting in pollinators, though Graeme does despair when it looks a bit busier come summer months like these. I think it’s perfectly suited to our cottage garden though. For me, it couldn’t look any lovelier – perfectly imperfect. 

See more of Lucy’s garden content on our Homegrown highlight over on Instagram.