I have never before experienced a sauna, but when I stepped out into our steamy garden to carry out my first dead heading of roses for the last three weeks at 11 a.m. I was greeted with a good idea of what to expect if I ever do. I had returned indoors by midday, and did not emerge again until late afternoon when I wandered around with a camera.
Jackie had achieved her gardening tasks before I came out for the first time.
She had further reduced the pile of pots on the patio awaiting planting out.
Hanging baskets and the iron urn, which she has spent 2 days clearing of a writhing ants’ nest all benefited.
While I was working in the Rose Garden a sharp droning noise alerted me to the fact that its solar powered water fountain was bone dry and screaming out for water.
The Head Gardener fixed that before serving lunch.
Waterboy tips his water into the container on the Pond Bed, where the Wonderful Grandparents rose blooms again.
Red sweet peas appear in the third picture in the Rose Garden gallery,
whereas white ones grace the arch at the corner of the Oval Path and
the Weeping Birch Bed.
Blue agapanthus stretches over the Gazebo Path from the Palm Bed,
seen here from the lawn,
while solanum hangs over the Brick Path.
This evening we watched the Olympic men’s doubles tennis matches between Rafael Nadal partnering Carlos Alcaraz and Tallon Griekspoor with Wesley Koolhof; then Andy Murray and Dan Evans against Sander Gille with Joran Vliegen; the first while dining from tables in front of the TV on roast pork, apple sauce, boiled new potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, fried onions and mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli stems; the second after our meal was over. I drank more of the Tempranillo.
There are many beautiful flowers today, thanks for sharing! 😊
You have such an amazing garden!
Thank you very much, Kim
Please, send us some of that heat. I actually don’t mind saunas but 20 minutes is the recommended staying time. There will be cold for days here for some weeks yet. Especially since the snow has hit the mountains afar and the winds blow from that direction. If that wind would change, it would be bearable. Your garden looks good despite the lack of water.
Thank you very much, Chrissy
Your garden looks great, despite the heat. Stay cool Derrick!
Thanks very much, Val
The gardens look beautiful, Derrick and Jackie. I am sorry you are getting so much humidity along with the heat. That makes it a lot harder to work outside.
Thank you very much from each of us, Lavinia
I call it “wear-the-air” weather!
Beautiful garden!
A good phrase, Dale. Thanks very much
It does describe it, eh? 🙂
Jackie is a trooper. I admire her energy. You took several lovely pictures. 😎
That meal sounds like a lot for a hot day. Had it cooled own by the evening?
Cooler inside. Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
Jackie is a very hard worker!!
Thank you very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
A small piece of your sauna would be nice, It was Zero here this morning … Derrick
Thanks very much, Ivor
My compliments to your Head Gardener for her marvelous pot and hanging basket floral arrangements 🙂
Thank you very much, Rosaliene
I believe strongly that as the globe warms and temperatures fluctuate radically we will all need to change the way we grown our gardens. Let’s hope your amazing gardener does not have to change much.
Thanks very much, John
Your garden is an absolute delight!
Thank you so much, Anne
I heard you had a heatwave down there. I’m glad the beautiful garden is surviving the weather. Jackie is to be congratulated for cooking such a wonderful meal in such heat. We had a pleasant 23°.
Thanks very much, Sue
Such lovely photos! And a huge YAY for Jackie! Her tender-loving-care of the garden is so evident! ❤️
On those oppressive heat, no-rain days…we realize again that water is life…they are one.
I so love the garden water fountains! They are so peaceful, so soothing, and I get lost in them. 🙂
(((HUGS))) ❤️❤️
Thank you very much from each of us, Carolyn XX
We’ve had many of those sauna days. The air is like that right now. Jackie did a great job working outside in it. Your garden, as always, looks beautiful!
thank you so much, Merril
New York is a sauna in the summer. I try to stay indoors when there is a heat advisory. It’s hard to handle heat at my age.
I am realising that, Sherry. Thanks very much
As I know from personal experience, high humidity is no fun. Hope yours goes away soon. Beautiful gardens. Sounds as though you had quite a feast while watching the Olympics. After all, you had to keep your strength up. 😉
Thank you so much, Laurie
With all the hard work you all put in, your magical garden doesn’t feel the hot summer! Everything looks so beautiful!
Thank you so much, Riba
Beautiful gardens from hard work.
Thank you very much, Andy
You’re welcome.
Sooo many things I love about this post. Your garden is, of course, astounding. Do you and Jackie give garden tours? You could make $$$ doing so and then buy more land to grow more flowers. :–) Kidding, but gardens are so uplifting for the soul. Even your photos do that for me.
The humidity has been bad here in New England also. I smiled at your ‘sauna’ experience. This humidity is exhausting. So going inside to watch the Olympics is a great way to beat the heat. And that tennis!! Inspiring and fun.
Thank you so much, Pam
The hanging baskets look great. You have beautiful garden. So many flowers blooming and their strength is visible. Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures.
Much appreciated, Kritika
🙂
I love your water boy fountain Derrick! I love how you have something blooming all the time.
Thank you very much, Diane
I feel like I’m about to suffocate in a sauna, give me a good long soak in a hot tub any day. 😀
Thanks very much, Widders
Jackie loves gardening. I was smiling about the sauna effect 🙂 We are getting good rains. Good in a way and there is destruction too. Landslides are more frequent, manmade problems. Thank you for all the photos.
Much appreciated, Lakshmi
Looks so beautiful
Your garden looks fabulous and the water fountains are lovely.
Thanks very much, Dolly
The garden looks so fabulous
Thank you very much, Sheree