July jollies include; the wonder of water, fresh fragrance, a huge heron, belting beer, and the joys of baking your own birthday cake.

Gardening tips for July

Watering is possibly the least sexy gardening topic, apart from maybe slug control. But it’s incredibly important in these hot and sunny days. Broad canopies of summer foliage act as umbrellas, scattering any rain away from where it’s most needed—at the roots of your plants.

If the trees, shrubs and perennials in your garden have been planted in the ground for over a year, they’ll probably be fine. But if you’ve new little plant babies, or grow in containers, they’ll all need regular soaking.

A good drenching every couple of days is much, much better than waving a hose over them for a few seconds every day. Aiming water at the base of a plant will help the rootball absorb the precious moisture effectively.

Fragrant musings from the library of scent: Every Storm a Serenade - Imaginary Authors

A deserted windswept beach backed by rippled sand dunes and dark forests.

The roar of the tumbling breakers drowns out your troubled thoughts. 

Salty sea spray kisses your tired cheek

whisper thin tissue of grey cloud

feet crunch on the shingle.

Wheeling, shrieking gull

bright eucalyptus tang,

spruce,

birch,

as the sun reaches the treetops

and 

warms. 

Nature notes for July

The scent of sweet, spicy honeysuckle floats among squillions of screaming swifts,

swallows skim through fragrant puffs of foamy meadowsweet, and a huge

grey heron preens in the golden light while sitting on an Excalibur branch.

Featured AF beer: Haar New England IPA by Jump Ship Brewing

I’m thoroughly enjoying drinking my way through lots of alcohol free craft beer while the sun’s out. And Haar from Jump Ship in Edinburgh is a belter.

There’s absolutely oodles of mouthwatering rich, ripe pineapple with slices of juicy apricot thrown in. And then spoonfuls of marvellously tangy bittersweet orange marmalade. Such a thirst quenching beer.

Simple wellbeing tip:

The liberating act of baking (and decorating) your own birthday cake

It was my birthday this week, so - yet again - I baked my own birthday cake. Now, I’m not telling you this to elicit sympathy, far from it. I may be fairly shy and retiring, but I’m not quite a Billy-no-mates.

As someone who’s baked countless birthday cakes over the decades for family, friends and colleagues, there’s a definite easing of expectations, and thus pressure, when you’re baking exclusively for your own pleasure.

Not that any of these lovely people have been difficult or demanding, but, you know, you just want to do your best for someone, don’t you?

So, when I started baking my own birthday cakes, I must confess I went a little wild, mainly with abundant decorations. Some years I go large with edible flowers, and other times all the sprinkles usually kept for ice cream sundaes are enthusiastically scattered.

My inner 5 year old is particularly satisfied this year because I used fragrant crystallised violets and roses, strewn through the tiny pastel and gold spheres.

What would your ideal birthday cake be?

On the blog:

It’s been warm, hasn’t it? How about trying some marine scents for scorching days?

⭐As ever, all wibbly words and photos are by me, Rowan Ambrose. I bought the perfume and beer myself ⭐