One final taste of summer

Outside today, putting the last couple of plants away and found these.  The last strawberries of the year, they are tasty in summer when the main crop is, but to find some at this time of year was pure delight.

Strawberries and cream

We have a little thin raised bed which is full of strawberry plants.  Although we only get fruit at the start of the summer, when we have about 3  - 4 weeks of strawberries. Unfortunately my OH is much more of a morning person than me and so I often come down to find evidence of strawberries for breakfast and head outside to find all the ripe ones gone. It seems that nice as strawberries are they are not a big enough incentive for me to get up early!

At this time of year the plants are looking their best with lots of new lush growth and they have now totally taken over.  The walls are of course covered in pots full of succulents which normally is an ideal little location to show off some of my favourites.  Looking at it now though, the strawberries have hidden most of the plants with only the tall ones poking their heads above the sea of green.  The most striking being this aeonium sunburst which has a lovely colour even when on its own but has been particularly well highlighted by the strawberry leaves.

It is also at this time of year that the strawberries make their break for freedom. It can be fun following the tentacles of new plants as they sneak out into the flowerbeds and pots, removing them before they get too comfy. If only the succulents spread as quickly.