Flaming June

“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.” ― Maud Hart Lovelace

It's Flaming June and the garden is lush and abundant and teeming with life.  A mixture of rain and a lot of warm sunshine has done its job and everything is twice the size it was the day before!  The rose bushes are laden with blooms and I can't keep up with all the dead-heading I need to do.  Insects and birds of all kinds are buzzing and twittering and hopping around the garden.

 

Weeds are growing faster than anything else, although some plants grow and they are so lovely and pretty I don't mind leaving them especially if the bees love it.  I have no clue what this is - any ideas?

 

In spite of the best efforts of our massive slug and snail population it looks as if we will get some broad beans finally and there are carrots, beans, potatoes and swiss chard growing in varying sizes.

"Now summer is in flower and natures hum

Is never silent round her sultry bloom

Insects as small as dust are never done

Wi' glittering dance and reeling in the sun

And green wood fly and blossom haunting bee

Are never weary of their melody

Round field hedge now flowers in full glory twine

Large bindweed bells wild hop and streakd woodbine

That lift athirst their slender throated flowers

Agape for dew falls and for honey showers

These round each bush in sweet disorder run

And spread their wild hues to the sultry sun."

-  John Clare, June

Meanwhile inside Hazel Cottage, a lot is going on - our Parsnip wine has been bottled and stored away for a few months time....  I can't help calling it our Peapod Burgundy!

We are in the middle of having our fireplace transformed too as we are having a wood burner fitted.  Here are some photos of the work in progress, once it is complete, I will post more pictures.  Its really very exciting!

The fireplace has been cleared out and the brickwork re-pointed

The flue is in!  And the hearth tiles have been laid

Hearth tiles now grouted and decorative tiles fixed.