Clearly not, though she is a bit ragged round the edges. Anyway, here’s how I caught her on Tuesday when I was passing through the garden en route for the allotment with my bag of compost makings. (The heap building must go on.) This ‘cheap and cheerful’ cottage garden annual (once also known as Clarkia) is an easily grown plant that can usually be relied on to produce clouds of colour throughout the summer and do much self-seeding. This year however, it did not like the prolonged heat one bit. The limp and skinny stems that were produced soon curled up and fainted, and watering the plants didn’t seem to help matters either. I abandoned the cause. But now, heading for Christmas, I find a single plant prevails, driven by the seed-setting imperative. There’s optimism for you.
Tish Farrell 
Optimism indeed…..I think we need more of that. Hope you are enjoying the run up to the holiday season and that you bring out some of your strawberry vodka, which one of these days I hope to experience. …. Janet 🙂
Ha! Strawberry vodka. We still have it! Must go rifle the drinks cupboard. And yes, it would be fun to share a tipple.
Maybe next summer….. Some Brecon Gin just arrived here…..:)
Ooh. Brecon Gin. That sounds very promising. Am thinking hints of heather and bilberry 🙂
I am not really a gin drinker except for the occasional gin and tonic on a hot day, but did sample this when In Crickhowell during the summer….and it is delicious:) I might be converted……
I think that’s the thing. Gin of yesteryear was a very lacklustre affair. And the tonic so tinny. I’d given it up years ago, then got re-coverted by niece with tots of designer gin and much more palatable fevertree tonic.
I’ll drink to that 🙂
🍹
Ah, yes, the final throes of Northern Summer … er … say what?
Meanwhile, Down Souf … 34’c Real Feel … 38.
Phew! Lucky you. Up at this end of the planet it’s double-vest temps despite bizarre flowerings in the garden.
I reckon it’ll soon be time to climb in the pond and sit on the step with the fish!
My enthusiasm for your heatwave is now wearing off. Hmph.
Yes, the thought of sunglasses, shorts and iced tee , with the distinct prospect of a typical cooling African Thunderstorm in a few hours can be so tiresome!
Pah!
🙂
I hadn’t realised that Godetia are Clarkia. I remember sowing Clarkia seeds years ago.
I’ve only grown them for a couple years. I always thought I disliked them: the vegetation is a bit fleshy, but then I noticed that the flowers are really quite pretty.
Golly gosh a gaudy Godetia indeed – there is a Clarkia amoena called ‘farewell to Spring’ but this must be ‘waving on winter’ –
p.s. wish on a lucky Geminid falling star this freezing clear night and look out for the coming to a sky near you very soon Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
Many thanks for the star and heavenly body report, Laura. Will keep an eye out.
This has gone on my seed list. It is beautiful!
I mostly grow it at the allotment along the edge of some of the raised beds for a bit of floral interest among the veggies.
My forsythia has had some blooms already! Maybe our world has split into two time zones.
Something’s definitely going on.
Wish I’d kept better records over the years. It feels as though the odd moments in nature are now happening regularly but maybe that’s just me.
Oh I love late bloomers which is why my crafting business ia called Late Blooming Designs. lol
There is a very great deal to be said for late bloomers 🙂
It is beautiful…and here we have had violas and our spirea hedge is coming along as well…
Violas have such cheery faces too.
They do
There’s no harm in optimism. That’s where me and himself differ:) 🙂 I did hope you’d journey with me to Spain this week though. Have a happy weekend, Tish. Best to the man in the shed.
I’m coming, I’m coming. Am all at sixes and sevens this week 🙂
Sorry to hustle! Just ignore me. 😕 Sending Christmas love 🎄🍰💕
Love gratefully received and reciprocated 🎁🎁🎁
Optimism in spades!
🙂
Cue Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin singing, ‘Sisters, Are Doing It For Themselves’! 😀
That is a great soundtrack!
What a brave little beauty.
She is, isn’t she.