My Garden - August 2025

Dear Gentle Reader,

August has arrived and ready to reveal what it has in stored for the gardener. This year my garden, for many reasons didn't perform the way I would have liked, but still it has its own moments. The pears are getting bigger and bigger (don't ask me the type, wind blew away the lable, but I know one of my pear trees is Conference the other something else. Thus coukd be Conference, I'm not sure, though), my apple trees were full of flowers, though only one fruit is on the tree. This could be due to early blooming, not enough pollinators, wet spring, honestly, could be anything at all. Cobnuts never fail they just produce. Happy(ish) days.

Yesterday (the 11th) I had to harvest my grapes, they were so ripped that at the smallest shake would end up on the floor, which would be a shame. They are so sweet and juicy and amazingly beautiful bunches. 3.2 kilos not bad from a 5 year old grape vine. 

This was a bunch from my 1st pick, but I'm sure there are heavier bunches. It doesn't come fresher then this. Tomatoes and chilies are keep giving which is awesome.

Aubergines keep growing which is fabulous too 😜

I decided to try my luck with kiwis....yes, they can be grown in Ireland in a greenhouse, this perticular cultivar is called 'Jenny' and it's specifically bred for colder, Irish weather. More info here. So I got my kiwi plant, gorgeous looking, strong plant and planted it according to instructions in my small greenhouse, because I felt that that greenhouse it's really not used to the max. So, with a bit of luck I shall eat my own, home grown kiwi in about 3-4 years 🤷🤦. I live in hope. 😁😁. So continuing on, that's my huge crop of onions so far and cucumbers and part of my succulents and cactae enjoying the sauna conditions in my small greenhouse. 😜

Autumn raspberries are full of yummie, delicious, sweet fruit. And they'll be producing fruit until the 1st frost will turn them into frozen delights (don't ask me how I know this 😜😂). The beebalms are young plants and I think they are doing well so far. The succulents and cactae in my small greenhouse will join the others in the living room on the windowsill before the 1st frost. 

I feel like all the odds were a bit against me this year, nothing went they way I would have liked. However the little blessings are keep coming and I'm OK with that. I count my blessings every day and I give thanks to God that I can enjoy life with the people dear to my heart 😊❤️