Rarely maintaining our garden in the east of Belgium

When we go to the east of Belgium I want to relax there.  We also can go very irregularly, sometimes a few weekends in a row but then potentially not at all in 2 months. As a result our garden has no plants that ask for regular watering or maintenance.  I do not have flower beds of flower pots, which I sometimes regret but they'd die immediately.

We only tend to maw the lawn regularly because that quickly becomed a jungle in the wetter but still warm summer weather.  Last couple of weeks however the drought has given me a mawing break as the grass clearly didn't grow anymore. 

Mid-June , with the heatwaves announced, we've quickly installed our little pool back to enjoy in the warmer summer weather. 

But we also engaged in some rare garden maintenance.   My lavender plants have never been cut and are now wild and wooden. I really should trim them massively in the fall but it might be too late to shape them properly again. There is a huge difference in how they bloom compared to the lovely bed that the neighbours have. Oh well. 

I did undertake an endless task of trimming the ivy that was completely taken over our back yard. It had reduced the grass surface, had overgrown the staircase downwards etc. I cut and cut and cut endlessly and it's hardly visible. Yet the garden has become lighter again and the staircase is no longer a safety hazard to use.  Wow a brave day well spent. 

I also enjoyed the hazelnut bushes that are part of the hedge with the neighbours. 

Unfortunately we suffered a casualty. While Beertje was helping a lot, a young sparrow "flew against his leg and dropped dead". Hmm I guess it dropped out of his nest that is under our roof or so. Whatever happened, we regretted to lose a life in our garden.