June has been a month of heatwaves. There has been some rain which is a good thing as otherwise I would be even more worried about a drought this summer than I am already. I am already quite worried.
On the front doorstep the elephant of happiness is still happy, as are the pelagoniums keeping her company.
The hanging basket is also looking good. A daily water seems to keep it happy.
This is Rose Morning Mist, planted about eighteen months ago. She flowered a little last year and this year is putting on more of a show. What I like best about this rose is that I can see it through the front window when I am sitting on the sofa. This simple thing has given me considerable joy.
The hanging basket by the back door is fabulous. It makes me smile whenever I look at it.
Even more delightful is Dahlia Waltzing Matthilda starting to flower. This is my favourite dahlia and this year I have planted her in my favourite pot, the half-dalek bought many years ago from Whichford Pottery. It made me realise that I have not visited there for several years and I really should remedy this.
This is a climbing petunia, bought earlier this year. It is flowering its little socks off and I really like it. I will be adding this to my list of 'must buy' annuals going forward.
The succulent table is loving the heat. I can hear them singing.
This cluster of pots is my veg garden this year (with a couple of extras). I am growing peas and french beans and the harvest has commenced. I always regard peas as a luxury to grow as they do not crop for long, but I love the fun of growing them and how wonderful they taste.
I pause briefly at the water butt on the day I am taking these photographs as there must have been some rain overnight. Not much, but better than nothing.
Everything is doing well in the Courtyard Garden, it is nicely shaded and the plants enjoy the peace out of the worst of the heat.
The bananas are enjoying the heat and growing well.
The peloganiums are also enjoying the heat so far. That I kept them alive over the winter is something I am very pleased about. I have had some of these pelagoniums several years now but always wonder if the next winter will be their last.
The Whitby Arch has developed a serious lean and I must get it sorted. I would hate to lose this arch and I am not sure that the cats would forgive me.
The Conservatory Border is looking full and bouncy. The white Leucanthemum superbum x Phyllis Smith is one of my favourite plants. She has been in the border over ten years now and is such a great doer.
Is the Euphorbia mellifera still too big? Oh yes, but I plan its pruning I assure you.
The Rose Lark Ascending is having a good year,
and in the Pond Border the Rose Peach Melba is looking amazing, she has really decided to flower this year.
Well, she was looking amazing.....
It has been breezy recently and she took a tumble, bringing down with her the rusty tree.
A bit of pruning later to reduce the weight and she was back in place, not looking too much worse for wear.
and I rescued some of the fallen blooms to have in the favourite vase in the lounge.
Whilst admiring the roses I have to mention that I planted this rambler into the Bramley tree several years ago. I thought she wasn't flowering for several years before I realised that she was flowering right up at the top of the tree. I could only see the flowers if I stood back and looked up. The Bramley was pruned last autumn and, by default, the rose was pruned as well. This has resulted in flowers lower down in the tree, which is a total joy.
The big prairie border is now a sea of echiums and perennial sunflowers. A few scraps of grasses remain but not much. I thought about clearing this border and starting again but the bees and butterflies love it so much when it is in flower I have not the heart to do so. If it starts to really pain me then I will, but it has a reprieve for this year.
This Bottle Brush shrub has been by the side of the pond for a good fifteen years now. I completely neglect it and rewards me by flowering well every year.
The Exotic Border is doing well. The big bamboo may or may not be dead. It flowered earlier this year and has turned this wonderful bronze colour, but there are sprigs of green on some of the canes. I shall wait and see. At least I will not need to buy any bamboo canes probably ever again.
The Wild Garden is, well, quite wild. It is a scrumbly bumbly mess and will soon have its high summer demi cut. Not a full mow, but just reducing the height of the grass so that some light can get through.
and the pond? Well it needs a thinning out of flag iris, but there is some water still to be seen. We need some downpours really though to top it up.
Until next time
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