By Isle of Wight Observer
It has taken long enough but the summer has finally arrived. Maybe not the searing hot temperatures we’d expect at this time of year, but at least we are seeing some well-needed sunshine.
Our gardens are now full of colour, and even the grass is still green. There is, as always, plenty to do in garden, such as mowing, strimming and weeding, and other tasks such as dead-heading roses and perennials which will encourage a secondary flush of blooms.
There are some lovely gardens on the Island which are open to the public, such as Farringford, Mottistone, Osborne House and Ventnor Botanic Gardens, so please take time to visit them.
The summer flower show season is about to start, kicking off with Brighstone on Saturday, July 20, followed by Chillerton the following Saturday. Chale on August 3 follows, then Freshwater on the 10th, and St Helens on the 14th, finishing with Bembridge on the 24th.
Pop along and support your local society with your own grown produce, or you could also take a trip out and visit some of the other shows across the Island.
Freshwater Horticultural Society will once again be holding its show in a marquee in the Jubilee Field at the West Wight Leisure Centre. Last year’s hugely successful show has meant that the marquee will be slightly larger than last year, so come along with your entries to help fill the benches. There will be other attractions during the afternoon, including live music, a dog show, craft stalls and a refreshments tent.
Horticulture on the Island is seeing an upturn in popularity, so let’s all help continue this trend. There are several initiatives in progress to look at ways of encouraging people into the sector, and I’ll be looking at some of these in future editions of the IW Observer.
This is the time to get out into the garden, not just to spend time working in it, but make the time to relax and enjoy it. So get the sun lounger out, fill your glass with something nice and enjoy!