August has been a busy month. There's no shortage of bees buzzing around the garden, that much I do know!
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Sunny and warm. An inherited Buddleia bush is attracting the Peacock and Painted Lady butterfly. The Red Admiral is also enjoying the nectar from its many puce flowers. I rarely see this butterfly nowadays, not like the Painted Lady who, this year is abundant in large numbers. The Holly Blue and Gatekeeper butterflies are residents of the garden too.

The colour of the moment is blue, with Anchusa, Echinops, Salvia and Eryngium. The latter two have blue stems, especially so the Sea Holly, which is vibrant blue.

Separated and re-potted Auriculas, and have made lots more plants for the borders next Spring. Dug up the rapid spread of Galium (Sweet Woodruff).
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A day of sunshine and bubbling clouds. After a ferocious storm, and heavy rain in the week, the borders have had a much needed soak. I see no birds all day. I know a Fox is visiting the garden. On a couple of occasions I have caught its tail end disappearing through the undergrowth, and is frequently leaving its deposits around the garden too!

Planted three types of Dahlia, a white and blue Salvia in pots, for added colour around the garden.
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Mid afternoon a storm passes over like a whirlwind, bringing with it torrential rain. It is all over in a flash. Two male Gatekeeper butterflies are in dispute over territory, whirling around each other like frantic. I hear, but don't see the Great Tits in the garden. I do see the Wood Pigeon, such a comical bird. It takes much time to manoeuvre itself onto the birdtable when it would be so much simpler to peck spilt seed off the ground! After nine, with the advent of nightfall I see Pipestrelle Bats circling around the garden for the first time this year.

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Cut back Geranium for second flush.

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After a morning shrouded in cloud, there is eventually sunshine in the afternoon with broken cloud. The Honey Bees are keeping busy buzzing around the Borage and the Bumblebees, are well, bumbling around the bee plants (the name of which escapes me!) Some plants look parched, and are in desperate need of rain, of which lately we have had very little. I watch the aerial stunts of a lone Swift picking up insects on the wing. Two fledgling Blackbirds 'Pip' and 'Squeak' are making light work of picking berries from the Amelanchier tree. A male Kestrel hovers overhead for its prey, without success. Disturbed a White Plume Moth.

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Yellow is abundant around the garden with Cephalaria, Coreopsis, Hypericum, Lysimachia, Sedum, and Sisyrinchium.

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Picked Strawberries and Raspberries from the plot. Cut back Granny's Bonnet foliage leaving few remaining to self seed.

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