Flutterby Patch

War on wasps

Greetings friends. I've been suffering this week with a very sore swollen ankle thanks to one of our angry neighbourhood wasps. I was doing a spot of weeding when a sudden stabbing on my lower leg stopped me in my tracks. After a second stab I spotted the vicious black and yellow striped enemy as it positioned itself for a third attack. Fortunately I was able to kill it before it succeeded.

I've had a few wasp stings in the past but these have been particularly nasty. I put up with the discomfort for a few days but when there was no improvement I resorted to taking antihistamine tablets and now thankfully the swelling is going down.

So its definitely war on wasps at Flutterby Patch this summer. Living in a wooded area we can't eradicate the nests and so I resort to traps.

The fruit in our little orchard is ripening nicely and but is attracting every wasp in the area. This is where I will place my traps.

My homemade wasp trap

   
Pour approx 5 cm (2 ins) of hot water into a glass jar and stir in a generous teaspoon of sweet fruity jam (I use raspberry or strawberry). Make a cap from a piece of kitchen foil that has a hole in the centre (hole about the size of a large coin). Place the jar under a fruit tree or wherever you see wasps gathering. They will enter the jar to drink the sweet liquid and eventually drown in it. It's not in my nature to kill anything but wasps are the exception. After a few days I will return to the jar and I know I will find a great many dead ones that have failed to escape. I'll tip the bodies at the edge of the garden and cover them with soil. Happily other insects keep their distance although slugs are sometimes trapped.

Here is another homemade wasp trap which I'm going to try as it sounds very effective.

  Discard the cap and cut the top off a plastic bottle to make a funnel.

Put 5 cm (2 ins) of hot water into the bottle and stir in a teaspoon of jam. Replace the top upside down into the bottle to create a funnel. Wasps will smell the jammy liquid and go down the funnel to drink but cannot find a way out.

I've placed the traps under the trees in the orchard and hope they help reduce the amount of damage inflicted to ripe apples and plums. I remove any damaged fruit that is on the ground so that the wasps will only be attracted to the jammy liquid. As you can see from the chewed apples above wasp have already been at work (as have the birds).

Finally a few facts:

A single wasp can sting you many times whereas a bee can only sting you once.
A bee dies after stinging and so is less likely to unless provoked.
A bee will leave it's sting behind so scratch it out with your nail as soon as you can.
Wasps are thirsty creatures and will congregate at the garden pond, birdbath or any damp piece of ground so don't choose these areas for your picnic!

Hoping you stay sting free this summer.
Until next time
Eli.

Harebell fairies

Greetings friends. I've been busy stitching this week.

My little project was inspired by some pretty blue harebells that I found dancing in the summer breeze.

These delicate wild flowers found their way into our garden some time ago and seem to like it here as they pop up every year on the edge of the lawn. They always remind me of my childhood days and my endless search for fairies who are supposed to ring the tiny bells on warm summer evenings.

Sadly I've never seen (or heard) any evidence of little folk ringing the bells but content myself with this lovely picture of a harebell fairy painted by Cicely Mary Barker. It comes from her much loved book 'Flower Fairies of the Summer'.

Unfortunately our pretty patch of harebells was hit hard by rain on Sunday. These delicate blooms on slender stalks were no match for the torrential downpour that we had.

Happily when the sun came out the following day a few hardy bells looked ready to chime again.

With no fairies to be found in the harebell patch I decided to make a blue fairy baby and she's a real little character.

She is usually very well behaved and plays happily with her tiny brass bell.

But occasionally she gets into mischief.

Recently she dropped her bell onto this cup and was determined to retrieve it.

Eventually she reached her bell but then found she was stuck inside the cup!

I rescued her of course and now that she has been reunited with her little bell she seems quite content.

The rain has returned and the wet garden is not inviting so I will probably stay indoors and make another fairy or two.

Hoping the sun is shining for you wherever you are.
Until next time

Eli

A favourite nursery garden

I love visiting garden centres and I'm going to show you the one that is top of my favourites list (I think you'll soon see why). It is situated in peaceful countryside in the small hamlet of Melkinthorpe (4 miles south of Penrith in Cumbria). The name is Larch Cottage Nurseries and it sells the largest range of plants in northern England.

The nursery was built on a field 25 years ago and was given a very unusual Romanesque theme. I keep expecting Juliet to be standing on this balcony looking for her beloved Romeo.

The restaurant is open throughout the day and if you don't want a meal you can relax with a cup of tea and look out across the lovely gardens.

The wonderful stone walls and arches that surround the gardens have been cleverly constructed to look ancient but of course they aren't. I'd love to copy this look at home.

The plants in the nursery are protected by more ancient looking stone walls.

There is a surprise around every corner and a glimpse of secret gardens through secluded archways.

The pots that are for sale are displayed on ornate 'Romanesque style' shelving.

Choosing a plant to 'adopt' is an impossible task as they are all so tempting...

...whilst I make up my mind my husband heads for the kitchen garden where long rows of succulent looking vegetables are growing in neat rows.

I love the greens and golds of these hostas but sadly in our garden I know the slugs will quickly demolish them.

I'm tempted by one of these shade loving plants but then a flash of blue catches my eye....

What a colour! It's a magnificent purple/blue sea holly, latin name - Eryngium. Its grows to over a metre high but unfortunately I don't have the ideal spot for it at the moment.

Eventually I make my decision. I have two large pots at home that I want to fill with something that will provide continuous flowers all summer. This purple and pink combination fills me with joy and I'm in luck as there are a number of identical plants on sale at half their original price. I spend a happy 20 minutes making my choice before it's time to leave.

The road home passes through pretty countryside and thankfully it's never busy. Ominous black clouds are gathering but the rain stays away and I'm able to plant my pretty purchases as soon as I get back.

Do visit Larch Cottage Nurseries if you are in Cumbria, I know you'll love it.

Until next time,

Eli