Bugs and beasties

At this time of year, the garden changes so rapidly that, after being away for more than a week, it's something of a shock to come back and find lots of new colour in the beds.  Most of the roses are out, as are the Dianthus, sweet rocket, Allium cristophii, the big red poppies, the rampant pink geraniums and the Alchemilla mollis (and a whole lot of other smaller things).  The Sweet William are also coming out, and looking quite good.  The Philadelphus is coming out too - even the big one in the back garden which I've been threatening to remove for ages now.

Closer inspection, however, shows not all is as well as it might be.  The Verbascum 'Violetta' in the bottom

Mullein moth caterpillars on 'Violetta'

border have thrown up several spikes of bloom, which were doing not too badly until the mullein moth caterpillars moved in.  Decision time: should I consign the lot of them to the recycling bin, or be wildlife-friendly and leave them be?  The plants probably won't flower again this year anyway, but then the caterpillars will presumably turn into moths and come back again next year.  Maybe they'll come back again next year anyway.  'Violetta' isn't the chunkiest of Verbascums and doesn't make as much of a statement as she might - and a statement is what is needed down there if it's to be visible from the house - so should I keep them?  For the time being, they're still there, caterpillars (growing fatter by the day) and all.

There is also a proliferation of blackfly on the broad beans.  In recent years I've been disinclined to pinch out the tops, as recommended; blackfly stopped being much of a problem, and one year there were none at all.  This year there are lots of them, which serves me right for being so cavalier; I must remember to do it earlier in future!  There is also a lot of aphid infestation on the apple trees, and some powdery mildew on one of the cordons.  I've been going over the trees, thinning fruit and pulling off the contorted leaves that show where the aphid eggs are.  Some of them have hatched in the recycling wheelie bin, and have climbed out and are sitting on the bin lid; since it's green, perhaps they assume it's a plant, albeit not a very edible one.  They don't seem to be going anywhere, which is good.

Before we went away, I managed to plant out the Cosmos and Didiscus in the cutting bed and the bottom border, and the runner beans and remaining brassicas in the veg plot; all a bit haphazard, but most of them are doing ok.  The current job is planting the tomatoes and aubergines in growbags in the greenhouse, and planting up the patio pots (a bit belatedly).

Several weeks ago, while weeding dandelions out of the lawn, I noticed a couple of long, spotted leaves

Common Spotted Orchid in the lawn

growing near the smaller apple tree.  They were immediately fenced off from the lawnmower, and have now sprouted a flower: as I suspected, a Common Spotted Orchid.  I hope it seeds.  (The two Twayblade plants by the plum tree have also been protected from mowing, but neither has flowered.)

The nuthatches seem to have moved out of the nestbox immediately after my last post, and have vanished completely; I hope they're just keeping out of sight in the tree canopy.  The blackbirds are feeding another brood, and somewhere near there's a thrush singing, presumably while his mate is on her nest.  A few more baby sparrows are about, and there are tits, dunnocks and the usual pair of pigeons around; the robins are no longer much in evidence, and the partridges have gone.  A young woodpecker comes regularly to the peanut feeder.

The weather has warmed up; apparently quite good while we were away, and now a heatwave is building up; hot today, and forecast to be hotter tomorrow.  To be followed by thunderstorms, of course.