August in the British countryside

August in the British countryside is a truly special time. It’s a month where you can feel summer shifting ever so slightly towards autumn, with the land brimming with activity and life. Golden fields, ripening hedgerows, and the gentle hum of harvest create a tapestry of sights, scents, and sounds unique to this fleeting moment of the year.

Fields & Farming

Harvest season is in full swing. Farmers work from dawn until dusk to bring in wheat, barley, and oats, with the soft hum of combine harvesters drifting across the fields. In their wake, neat rows of straw and hay bales are stacked, perfect golden cylinders basking under a deep blue sky.

In vegetable plots, it’s a season of abundance. Runner beans twist their way skyward, courgettes hide under broad green leaves, tomatoes glow red on the vine, and sweetcorn husks begin to turn golden.

Wildlife

The freshly cut fields create new opportunities for wildlife. Buzzards and kestrels circle overhead, taking advantage of the open ground to hunt for small mammals. Fox cubs, now more independent, venture further from their dens, exploring the long grass and hedgerows.

Overhead, swallows and house martins swoop low and fast, feeding on insects as they prepare for their long migration to Africa next month.

Hedgerows & Wild Food

The hedgerows are heavy with summer’s bounty:

Blackberries Tart in early August, but sweet and perfect for picking by the month’s end.

Elderberries Clusters of rich purple berries begin to ripen, a sure sign that autumn is on its way.

Sloes Darkening on the blackthorn bushes, still sharp now but perfect for sloe gin later in the year.

Wildflowers Meadowsweet, yarrow, and knapweed still dot the verges, buzzing with bees and butterflies.

Seasonal Feel

Early mornings often bring a fine mist over the fields and rivers, hanging low until the sun begins to rise. The scent of freshly cut hay drifts on the air, mingling with the sweetness of ripening berries.

By evening, the light turns golden, casting long shadows across the land and giving everything that magical late-summer glow, a gentle reminder that autumn is waiting just around the corner.

Scents to Capture August at Home

Bring the feeling of the August countryside indoors and outdoors with fragrances inspired by the season:

Morning Mist:  Fresh juniper berry, sage, and spearmint dew capture the cool, serene stillness of an early countryside walk.

Fresh Fig: Green, fruity, and subtly sweet, evoking sun-warmed hedgerows and late-summer gardens.

Energise: Zesty bergamot and mandarin with calming lavender and chamomile for sunny, uplifting days.

Pumpkin Patch: Warm, spiced, and cosy, the perfect scent to bridge the end of summer and the start of autumn.

Fireside: Smoky, woody, and comforting, reminiscent of golden evenings and the first hint of autumn fires.

Citronella: Bright, lemony, and fresh, ideal for summer evenings outdoors, keeping the bugs at bay while you enjoy the golden light.