Woodland border with addition of new blue hydrangea

The mirror certainly adds to the border too, it looks lovely all of it.

I agree a great border.

Hydrangea looks perfect there Karen :o)

thank you all. It needed a bit of lighting up just there...there was a gap...you know how I just hate a gap! I found a smaller gap further up yesterday and quickly planted a Fuchsia 'Hawkshead' in it, which is a great plant for lighting up a shady spot too.

Thats absolutely stunning..

You are very kind Pixi, thank you! :D

Looks lovely, and very neat

Thanks Cinders!

You must be really pleased with that border, it's lovely. "Hawkshead" is very appealing, isn't it?

Looks just the ticket there....do tell how do you manage to keep all your plants in such neat clumps? mine are all over the shop now...

I suppose it's just the plants I grow. Last year I cleared out this border..do you remember...took out most of the herbaceous, some clems etc. as I wanted to keep it more 'woodland' and have more all year interest. It's just the style I like. And things don't grow so fast and furious up here either. Especially this year. I am really lacking colour now as the viticellas aren't going yet and as for the roses...yuck. :(

just catching up - this is wow factor Karen - ! You should help me with mine now they look so pretty

I do remember you having a good clear out, are you now growing mostly shrubs then? even the shrubs have to be pruned more than once a year here.

Thank you Paul...I have to get more blue flowers....must have blue! :D

A, it is pretty mixed in there now, but with mostly well-behaved woodlanders...at ground level Hellebores, hostas and Brunnera Mac., with a few primulas etc. scattered through. Then the shrubby level with Pieris and rhododendrons (and some shrubby roses up on the fence), hydrangeas and skimmia etc. then the tree layer. There are still some clems in there, but not the vigorous viticellas now. There are buds on the clems but honestly, everything is soooooo late this year!

...and no need for any pruning on any of it yet.....even after the choisya has been growing for about five years, it is still in check. I think the NE facing aspect is probably the reason for that.

Everything are coming along just swell Karen!! beautiful!

Thanks M...I bought some blue gladioli yesterday in the co-op..just like yours! Lovely!

We took a foot off the Choisya and it has grown back already!! a constant battle...

Same here in Essex Daisy. The Choisya here are due another haircut soon. They bloomed a bit after the last one too. Everything has grown so tall. Never seen my Penstemons grow so tall in the sunny border. The apples and pears have long extensions, gradually being removed. We are usually droughted here. I suppose you are right Karen that the further north you go the later the growth season.

Definitely.....sad to say....but that's the penalty of living in such a beautiful place as here. :D

The border looks great and I love the blue of the Hydrangea.

It's amazing now Annie...all the flowers are out on it and it's at least twice the size it was when I took this pic!