A curse on cabbage whites

I’m always surprised when these delightful, tatty daisies appear, I forget they exist until they pop up, which is surprising given how fond I am of them.

I love how feverfew seeds itself about the garden, barren pots are always filled by them each year. They seem to flower for months.

The buddleias are growing like weeds this year, the garden seems to be full of them.

The lily on the right popped up on its own, I’m quite sure I wouldn’t plant a single bulb so maybe the squirrel has been stealing bulbs for me again. It the same with agapanthus, they seem to be popping up everywhere in ones and twos.

I’m just loving this lovely hydrangea, candlelight. She starts out almost green then gradually turns a creamy lemon colour.

The front garden is glowing with the combination of coreopsis, fields of gold and crocosmia, which is a thug, but I rather like it for its colour late summer.

The accidental orchid trugs, underplanted with wildflowers are flying up, they should be a riot of colour in a few weeks.

I’ve never seen so many cabbage white butterflies as I have this year. They are desperate to get at the netted brassicas and sadly are succeeding. Some thrust their abdomens through the mesh and literally fire their eggs through in a frenzy. Maybe it’s my fault for letting so many hatch on the greenhouse kale last year, maybe they’ve all come home to roost...sighs.

I’ve been harvesting early potatoes, runner beans and courgettes every few days. I like my courgettes really small and sweet! I’ll leave my Armageddon potato crop in the ground over autumn and winter, just in case!

I’ve cleared one raised bed of broad beans and have now planted out leek seedlings, hopefully they’ll thrive over autumn and winter. I’ve also cleared a bed of new potatoes and sown some perpetual spinach and salad leaves to enjoy over the next few months. I’ve sown spring greens and kale in the greenhouse for winter crops and was surprised to see them sprout in a couple of days!

And Finally…

A Wendy house has been acquired curtesy of a local buy nothing group. There is only kneeling room inside for me when Littl’urchin and I are both inside. Oh my, kneeling in a cramped space for a couple of hours had me hobbling for the rest of the day! How on earth did it come to this?

Until next time, stay safe guys. xxx

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32 Comments

  1. What a great play space! I guess I don’t mind the cabbage whites too much because I don’t grow cabbages or other cole crops.

  2. Those cabbages whites are determined creatures. How they find their way under netting I just don’t know,

    Free plants are great. We had a bird sown daphne that had grown quite big but we have had to sacrifice it for Ruby’s sake as unlike Tivvy she will pick up anything to test whether it is edible and those bright red berries would be far too tempting.

    • It’s astonishing how those butterflies get in isn’t it? They must be contortionists! Oh what a shame about the Daphne, better to be safe than sorry though. Thanks Sue. xxx

  3. Such abundance in everything, joyous! Yes playhouses require adults contorting themselves into positions they last managed in the womb 😆 I am sure Lil Urchin loves it!

    • Haha, I felt like I was back in the womb in that Wendy house, I’ve taken to just chatting through the window now! Thanks AnneMarie.xxx

  4. OMG ! You made me laugh so much with the mental imagery of those cabbage whites firing off the eggs in complete desperation .. I can’t unstick that mental picture now .. thanks a bunch ! LOL
    I love the accidental orchard .. if I ever start over again (in another life obviously) I want to have an accidental orchard and dealt with the same way you have with such enthusiasm 😉
    You will have so much produce you should set up a stall !
    Now .. to unstick that mental picture before going to bed ?? LOL

    • Hahaha, so sorry about planting that image in your mind! Looking at how quickly the accidental orchard is growing I may be out of space by next summer. Thanks Joy.xxx

  5. It’s all looking and sounding good. Except that is about the cabbage whites.
    You’ve certainly been busy harvesting, and sowing more.
    Thanks, and you too. xx

  6. I’d never heard the term ‘Wendy House,’ but now I have that sorted out — it’s a playhouse! In looking around I found them mentioned in a book by Philippa Lewis titled Everything You Can Do in a Garden Without Gardening — that made me laugh. The Wiki entry on Wendy Houses says they’re large enough for one or more children to enter — but they didn’t give any age limit for ‘children’!

    You surely have been gardening with a vengeance. I really liked your first two photos of the frazzled daisies; they’re lovely. I hope you don’t suffer serious predation from the Cabbage White. I do believe I might have a photo or two of that species, taken before I knew what it was!

    • Everything You Can Do in a Garden Without Gardening….that had me laughing too! I think the cabbage whites have won the brassica battle, still, I have more seedlings to plant out in the autumn when they have gone. Those daisies sure are sweet. Thanks Linda.xxx

  7. Mmm, I love feverfew too! They are finally starting to reseed in my garden, though not as conveniently as yours! Looking forward to seeing your underplanted wildflowers in those trugs. Oh my, what will you do with all of them?!

    Those are the most darling looking courgettes. I can see why you’d like them young. Does the plant produce more the more you pick?

    Another win for Buy Nothing!

    • I’ve always wanted a feverfew and chamomile lawn or a stretch of grass, I must try it next year. Feverfew tends to start reseeding pretty slowly but after a few years it takes off. Haha, I have no clue what to do with the accidental orchard! Oh yes, the more you pick the faster the courgettes grow, they are delicious when picked small. Thanks Anne.xxx

  8. I did wonder when I saw all those caterpillars left to their own devices in earlier posts. Never mind, you look to have plenty to harvest and you’ve got some beautiful ornamentals too. I love those tatty daisies, aren’t they pretty.

    • Thanks Jo, yes, I’m sure I’ve added to the problem. Thankfully I have more brassica seedlings growing for the autumn and winter. xxx

  9. Maybe all those cabbage whites are due to the budlias?
    It’s all looking so beautiful….and the veggies positively delicious. I can only imagine how you must have felt having knelt in the Wendy house for a couple of hours….it’s so interesting how it all creeps up on us:)

    We are expecting a wet, cool and cloudy weekend….however in my books so much better than a massive heatwave!

    Enjoy my friend. Sending love xxxxx

    • Yes, the buddleia sure is a butterfly magnet, it’s attracting hosts of butterflies this year. Oh, age does creep up on us for sure! I prefer the cooler weather as does my garden. Thanks Janet, love and hugs to you.xxxx

  10. You had me laughing at the cabbage whites strafing your brassicas through the netting! They are indeed very determined! Your garden is super-productive and you have some wonderful blooms. I also love your mini playground for Littl’urchin. Your knees have my sympathy! xx

    • Cabbage whites remind me of terriers, they simply won’t give up! My knees thank you for your sympathy, it’s also quite the task getting up after kneeling for a while. Thanks Veggiemummy.xxx

  11. Gerrie Mackey

    I love your Hydrangea, I haven’t come across one that gradually becomes cream… Candlelight, I hope I can get one of those. Your harvest of potatoes and other veggies is impressive. We are waiting for the frost to end before we put our potato crop in. The only luck we had with deterring white butterflies was when we put small fake white butterflies on sticks into the garden beds near our lettuce crop. I got the butterflies at a garden show, and I don’t know who makes them! I’m afraid they were soft light plastic butterflies, but survived the rain.
    Love the Wendy House and the play equipment…summer is the time for kids, and yes, my knees can’t cope the way they used to….!

    • I do like your new avatar! Here’s to you finding candlelight, she really is a lovely colour. It’s good to know you are able to start getting veg in the ground, our autumn is just beginning to creep in. Oh, I’ve never heard of fake butterflies used as a deterrent, I must look out for some. Thankfully I have more brassica seedlings to plant out when the whites have gone. Thanks Gerrie.xxx

  12. Great post as usual and fantastic images.

  13. We seem to be on the same page here, Dina! I was thinking earlier today that my several stands of crocosmia have doubled in size and are both flowering prolifically – a very beautiful sight when the sun is shining through the leaves. I have lilies too that I don’t remember planting; the pink ones, yes, but a couple of creamy yellow ones have crept in, no idea where they came from! Leeks were supposed to go out today but the washing pile took priority (again, sighs) and most of my kales need to go out too – a job for when I get back I think. (I’m off to Lancashire for a few days.) I’ve noticed a few cabbage whites but I just keep an eye out for the tiny yellow eggs and brush them off (mean, I know). And you’ve reminded me to check on my courgettes, I think I spotted flowers yesterday and love the tiny fruits rather than marrows!
    Love all the outdoor activities you’ve got for Lil Urchin – sandpit, water play, slide and playhouse – the perfect set up for a happy summer outside for you all. Happy playing! xxx

    • Yes, we are definitely synchronised for sure! I hope you’ve managed to get your brassicas in the ground and the pesky whites leave them be. I far prefer the smaller courgettes fruits, once they start coming there’s no stopping them. I hope yours are ready. Littl’Urchin is loving playing outdoors and we’ve certainly had plenty of good weather for it, autumn is beginning to creep in though. Thanks Caro.xxx

  14. lowcarbdiabeticJan

    So nice to see your flowers, a lovely mix and so colourful.

    Sorry about the cabbage whites, however, your vegetables do seem to be doing ok.

    That looks a very nice playhouse and I’m sure Littl’urchin will enjoy many hours of happy play time 🙂

    Happy August Wishes.

    All the best Jan

    • Thanks Jan, I think the cabbage whites have over-run my brassicas now, thankfully I have more seedling to go in over autumn when they have gone.xxx

  15. You definitely need a larger Wendy house that littl’un can grow with and you can be more comfortable in for a bit. It can then be sequestered as another growing house for your exotica.

    What a lovely display of flowers you have. I do like your yellow Courgettes, I think I must acquire some raised beds-for the garden. (Just in case anyone misreads my thoughts).

    Some white fluttery things have been following me around today. They have been very bold, one even trying to settle on my nose!

    Your courtyard is a good sheltered place for your veggies (and some of your developing orchard?) There seemed to be an interesting mix of potato varieties. You must have got dogs well trained now to ignore what’s there.

    Take care. xxxxxxx

    • Yes, that Wendy house will be outgrown pretty quickly, then it can go back to a buy nothing group. I do find raised beds makes veggie growing that much easier, it’s harder for the weeds to get in too. Goodness, your cabbage whites sound even bolder than mine. I still have to block the dogs out of the raised beds, Buddy especially who loves sitting in them, plants or no plants. Thanks Menhir.xxxx

  16. Oh, my, such gorgeous blooms, Miss Snowbird! I really love the hydrangea and buddleia! Want to look for that Candlelight!

    My, your veggies are lovely, but I’m so sorry for those hyper-aggressive cabbage whites. Nasty neighbors. Hope your brassicas survive.

    Can’t wait to see the orchard with the wildflowers blooming. When do you have to plant the orchard trees to avoid binding the roots in their pots? Will you keep them in such lovely rows? It’s so pretty.

    What fun to have a playhouse for L.U., though I’m with you on the painful wobbles from crouching too long. Yikes.

    Thank you for this lovely and lively post; you really bring a lot of joy into my life with these! Xoxoxo

    • I do hope you acquire candlelight, she really is a beauty. I think the cabbage whites have won the brassica battle, thankfully I have plenty more plants to put in over autumn and winter. I’ve grown fruit trees in pots before, they should be good for a couple of years, I’ll top up the soil each year and then transfer them to bigger pots. It’s funny how things suddenly change as we age….sighs. Thanks Kitty, love and huge hugs.xxxx

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