Bits and Pieces.

This lovely cosmos is one of my babies. I'm not very good with growing things from seed, but these are a real success. They were free with a magazine and this plant must be almost 6ft tall. I have grown them before so know they have a long flowering period - this patch will see me through the summer. There are 5 or 6 plants in this group just outside the kitchen window and another 4 or 5 in the front garden.

This sunflower is a present from the birds. It grows right next to the cosmos and will probably clash horribly with them when the flower comes out. It looks as if it will be a good specimen and I haven't the heart to pull it up, besides, a ladybird has moved in already. I usually only get strange straggly plants or tough grasses from the birds but they've done me proud this time.

The clump of borage - which was another present from the birds (I'd forgotten that) - has looked beautiful for quite some time but recently succumbed to an attack of blackfly. There are several ladybirds doing their best to get rid of them for me. It's beginning to look a little mildewed inspite of plenty of watering. I shall be cheating and buying instant plants from the garden centre to fill the gap if I have to pull it up - I have two lots of visitors to impress during August!

These are so cheerful and decorative for such an ordinary commonplace plant, I couldn't resist taking a picture of them. They perk up a boring salad too.

I have been making trees and shrubs for my quarry today. Here are the free machined shapes worked on soluble fabric which will now be dissolved away.

Here are the little shapes drying out on an old tea towel................................

............................... and here they are placed around the quarry, ready to be sewn down, though I suspect I will spend ages moving them about before deciding on their final resting place. I think I shall need several more and maybe a few larger pieces especially where I want them to drape over the edges. I've been doing machine embroidery for more years than I care to recall but still have to remember to breathe and relax my shoulders! It's as tiring as gardening.