The end or just the beginning?

The late August Bank Holiday in England and Wales always seems to signify the end of summer, even though we all secretly hope that we will enjoy fair weather all the way through September. Many take the last opportunity to get away before the new academic year begins and the garden starts to fade as the number of new blooms don't quite keep up with the number that need dead-heading.

In some ways it has been a typical summer but in other ways it hasn't at all. When the sun has shone, I've lolled in a hammock; when the rain has poured I've baked bread.  There have been especially cool days and extremely hot ones and the rain always seems to appear just as the water butt shows signs of running dry. However, the garden seems a little confused, as am I.

Right on cue in May the tomato plants were planted out. They grew like Jack's beanstalk and began to flower; the fruit seemed slow to form but gradually grew... and then stopped...

In the middle of July, when I would expect to pick my first ripe tomatoes, they were still looking decidedly green and small. Since then they have appeared to be almost frozen in time. My heart began to sink and I made a concerted effort to eat up all the Green Tomato Chutney still languishing in the cupboard from 2014 to make space for the anticipated 2016 batch.

Decidedly green

Each evening I'd come home from work, make a cup of tea, and wonder around the garden looking for signs of ripening fruit. But nothing. Even the figs were ripening on schedule, with the first appearing in mid-August and the rest following in quick succession. I've picked 12 of the gorgeously squishy, sweet things this week alone and they still keep coming.

One modest-sized fig tree...

... producing fruit right on cue

Today's fig harvest

Just as I was about to give up hope on the tomatoes, one fruit began to show signs of orangey-life last weekend and it's now almost ready to pick. Its neighbour clearly got the message and is following suit and I've begun to see signs of others thinking about joining the party. Relief all around!

Signs of orangey-life?

Ripening for sure

Relief all round!

Oh, and the first sweet peas have also been spotted. Only about 6 weeks late! Well, better late than never. Perhaps this is a sign that this year's summer really will stretch into September. Let's hope so. But if it doesn't I can always amuse myself indoors making green tomato chutney!

Better late than never