The Cottage garden is very small but is a little haven of loveliness and at this time of year is looking its best. It's nice to go down first thing in the morning to see what's opening out, and everything looks so fresh at that time of day. I'm afraid it is allowed to grow a little wild but 'a little wild' is a style I like. It encourages the birds and insects, and my favourite (and one of the most secretive) inhabitant of the garden- the slow worm that lives in my compost heap. It is such a joy to see it, very occasionally, sunning itself on top of the heap.
One of my favourite shrubs is the hydrangea and it is looking particularly good this year. It has an abundance of flowers that are a gorgeous deep pink colour. When there are so many flowers I don't feel so guilty about cutting some of the flower heads to put in a vase. They make really fanastic display, and last quite a long time in the house- brightening the day when the sun's not out.
When the weather is good I try and plan my day so I can retreat to the garden for a little while at some stage. I take some work or a book down there and get the deckchair out, and sometimes I may even do some weeding.
