My mid-summer garden: Circa January 2019.

In my garden: Cucumber vine (early stages of fruiting)

 

My garden has breathed a sigh of relief, following some impressive afternoon thunderstorms, so typical of Johannesburg at this time of the year. Many a seedling wilted and died last month, after weeks of unrelenting, frustratingly rain-less heat which rendered even the toughest of our garden plants (aloes and crassulas) gasping for relief. January 2019 has offered some rainy respite, bringing with it a sense of fresh renewal and the garden has responded accordingly. Not that we haven’t had some failures: seeds lovingly planted have mysteriously not produced (I have learnt to accept that this sometimes is just so), seedlings have shriveled and expired in the heat, and our lovely lettuce was set upon by some bug or worm with a very large appetite. In this case I have been determined not to use chemical insect repellents, and thankfully our preferred organic alternatives are slowly making an impact.

Please enjoy the pictures to follow. Each one snapped by me earlier today:

 

 

Borlotti Beans

 

 

Perfectly ripe red apple

 

Comfrey, red Salvia and Origanum

 

Tree stump and Bulbanella

 

 

Agapanthus and bee, with white Alysum in background

 

 

Cycad (new growth in centre) with pond in background

 

 

 

Vietnamese Coriander: pungent and delicious

 

Our garden angel, with Rose Quartz. Pond reeds in background

 

 

 

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