Gardenwatch: Sunshine & Dahlias

Gardenwatch: Sunshine & Dahlias

July was a month of highs and lows… The highs were the temperatures, and the lows were mostly a result of the temperatures!

A white butterfly on Buddleia.
A white butterfly on Buddleia – 6th July 2025.
Raindrops on Dahlia 'Totally Tangerine'.
Raindrops on Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’ – 6th July 2025.
Dahlia 'Edge of Joy'.
Dahlia ‘Edge of Joy’ – 9th July 2025.
A ladybird on the back of a dahlia.
A ladybird on the back of a dahlia – 9th July 2025.

The garden was busy with all kinds of bees, butterflies, ladybirds and more. At the beginning of the month, I stood and watched as a leafcutter bee made use of the bug house. It flew back and forth, cutting bits of leaves from my dahlias and taking them back to the bug house to create a nest (you can find a video of this on Instagram).

A Peacock butterfly and a bee on allium.
A Peacock butterfly and a bee on allium – 11th July 2025.
Dahlia 'Totally Tangerine' after a bit too much sun!
Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’ after a bit too much sun – 11th July 2025.
Dahlia 'Edge of Joy' wilting in the sun.
Dahlia ‘Edge of Joy’ wilting in the sun – 11th July 2025.
A hoverfly on Silver Ragwort.
A hoverfly on Silver Ragwort – 12th July 2025.

Temperatures soared into the 30s, and at one point, I thought I was going to lose all my dahlias. Some started to discolour and wrinkle. I wasn’t happy! Thankfully, most of them started to bounce back after some much-needed water.

A bee on Dahlia 'Totally Tangerine'.
A bee on Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’ – 12th July 2025.
A bee on a small dahlia.
A bee on a small dahlia – 13th July 2025.
A ladybird enjoying the borage.
A ladybird enjoying the borage – 13th July 2025.
A Meadow Brown butterfly on pink Echinacea.
A Meadow Brown butterfly on pink Echinacea – 13th July 2025.

A variety of butterflies fluttered around the garden. One afternoon, a lone Red Admiral butterfly landed on my t-shirt for a rest, and I had to stand there until it was ready to fly off again! The white ones are seemingly a hyperactive variety, flitting here and there but barely stopping long enough for me to take a photo. Still, I’m sure we have fewer and fewer butterflies each year.

A bee sheltering under a dahlia.
A bee sheltering under a dahlia – 13th July 2025.
A Red Admiral butterfly on a dahlia.
A Red Admiral butterfly on a dahlia – 14th July 2025.
A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on a dahlia.
A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on a dahlia – 14th July 2025.
Dahlia 'Zundert Mystery Fox'.
Dahlia ‘Zundert Mystery Fox’ – 17th July 2025.

Ladybirds could be found anywhere, from resting in the dahlia petals to running around the borage.

A bee on a pink dahlia.
A bee on a pink dahlia – 17th July 2025.
A bee on yellow Echinacea.
A bee on yellow Echinacea – 18th July 2025.
Dahlia 'Labyrinth'.
Dahlia ‘Labyrinth’ – 19th July 2025.
A bee on Dahlia 'Totally Tangerine'.
A bee on Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’ – 21st July 2025.

Bees, both big and small, were numerous and busy bouncing from flower to flower. I had to be careful not to get in their way!

A white butterfly on Black-eyed Susan.
A white butterfly on Black-eyed Susan – 21st July 2025.
A bee on a dahlia.
A bee on a dahlia – 21st July 2025.
Bee on a dahlia.
Bee on a dahlia – 21st July 2025.
A Peacock butterfly on a Dahlia 'Totally Tangerine'.
A Peacock butterfly on a Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’ – 25th July 2025.

Let’s see what August brings!

A bee on white Allium.
A bee on white Allium – 25th July 2025.

How’s your garden doing?

47 comments

  1. It’s really terrific to see all these pollinators at work. Every glimmer of hope in their catastrophic decline is encouraging. Your flowers are splendidly beautiful; they must bring you great joy. All the best- David

  2. Kelly says:

    Despite the heat, your garden is beautiful. You take the most amazing photos of flowers and insects. I can rarely get anything that flies to cooperate with me! I don’t think I’ve ever asked, what kind of camera do you use?

    p.s. I’m hoping to get a letter off Tuesday!

    • Nikki says:

      For this post, all of the photos were taken with my mobile phone (Samsung 23 Ultra). If I’ve got my camera out thn it’s usually my Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and either my 60mm Macro lens or 14-140mm lens.

  3. These are beautiful Nikki – I love the pinks and it’s made my very wintery day a little brighter. And in reply to your comment on my blog – thank you for sharing your birdfeeder a few months ago, it’s what inspired the birthday present for my husband. 🙂

  4. lisl says:

    Your garden should make you proud – the dahlias are stunning, and the insects keep coming. I am so pleased that the plants bounced back after such severe temperatures, Nikki

  5. Stunning pictures, Nikki. Your dahlias are way ahead of ours – that’s what comes of being exiled in the frozen north! And if that’s your garden, it is beautiful. Loads of butterflies round here this year, but not enough bees!

  6. Astrid says:

    This is an almost never ending series of beautiful pictures you took from your dahlia’s and bees and butterflies. What a joy that must be to be surrounded by that “wild life”. I can feel your fear for the hot weather we had, but your flowers really survived well. Such nice colours and shapes. Thank for sharing and have a wonderful day.

  7. Kris P says:

    Great shots, Nikki! Your dahlias got a much earlier start than mine, which are only now starting to bloom. I admired your ‘Edge of Joy’ variety – I thought I’d ordered that tuber but, if so, it never arrived. I’ll have to correct that omission next year. Your bee and butterfly shots are wonderful too – I’ve yet to catch a single photo of a butterfly in my own garden this year. The peacock butterfly is a beauty but apparently not native here.

  8. DeniseinVA says:

    Your flowers with their little visitors are stunning! So sharp and clear! I am leaving with a big smile. Thank you so much for sharing them and wishing you a very happy rest of the week.

  9. jeanie says:

    Oh Nikki, you have put your camera to amazingly fantastic work this season. Every one merits a frame and the collection its own exhibition. Printed on cards, something. They’re beautiful, each and every one!

  10. Beverley says:

    It is good to see all those brightly coloured flowers and even better to see the butterflies, bees and ladybirds enjoying them too. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos, Nikki.

  11. Linda says:

    Your photos are absolutely stunning. I ❤️ love nature. Thank you so much for sharing and warm greetings from a retired lady living in Montreal, Canada

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