A wet south west in August

Lovely blog :-) I adore your garden and plants and your tribute to your family's lost pets is kind and respectful. What about your bamboo, wow. We've been looking for a fully hardy bamboo like yours that has stunning canes - so you recommend B phyllostachys Vivax or do you have others to recommend ;-) thanks, Dawn

Dawn I only have three different ones the one you see the well known Black bamboo altogether smaller in diameter but grows ten feet + and an even smaller variegated leaf one ,don't know the name of.

Homebird I don't dig them out just mow the new shoots off ,first saw that being done at Wisley gardens years ago if you cut the shoots off it eventually weakens that part of the root and dies ,surprisingly shows no sign of affecting the grass
The Autumn Cyclamen will grow almost anywhere

Wow!!!! not much else I can say, it all looks amazing.

Thank you for posting the photographs of the bamboo.......I do not dislike my neighbours, I just want to hide them lol and the Vivax will certainly do that although it may take some years for them to mature to the size of yours!!
You have a beautifully mature garden full of wonderful plants.

Homebird
Re the canes I do cut some and use them but they need to be at least a year old before cutting, a current season one not ripe will just fall to pieces at the joints were it cut now.
they are quite easy to cut with a lopper or fine tooth saw if you don't want to split the end.

Just love your tub with the water lily's in! what a good idea did you paint it yourself?

Teds yes a couple of years ago and the ducks there are four of them altogether all painted different most are going to need a paint touch up this winter

The photos are beautiful as always. I do like that yellow crocosmia. You have done a great job on Pets cemetery. I do think that is a lovely original headstone idea.

Your garden always looks lovely, Brian. The bamboo is very impressive. It would certainly make an effective screen!

love the bamboo...i have been give 3 plants this week from a bamboo enthusiast friend of mine. i visited her garden and was soo jealous of the building materials she grows in her garden. she has made bamboo fences, grows beans and hops up them. cant wait to get mine planted and producing...

What can I say ??? Every thing is so gorgeous , well done Brian !!!

I'm with you Val ... everything is looking so good Brian ... :o)

What a lovely place.

We have 2 tins with ducks on!! They are blue and look rusty inside already. How big is your lily pond? The only water feature we have is the outside dripping tap....(when I don't close it off fully)

Our n'br at the back has bamboo....waiting for an invasion...think the fence is no deterrent!!

Bramhallbill
There are several small water feature around the garden the one you see is an old galvanized bathtub I decorated and bitumened the inside before using, not recommended if you were adding fish.not all work as well as this one.