The Best Performers.

They are all so healthy and beautiful!

Brilliant blog Louise and very helpful. I notice you missed out welsh poppies:-) I'd also like to mention geranium psilostemon and ann folkard. Are the gerberas hardy where you are? I love scabious and dianthus etc, but my soil is on the clay side, so acid, and I've never had much success with them I have th same problem with some of those elegant campanulas which I love. Scutellaria I don't know, is that hardy? I love "shaggy" I shall certainly be using your list when I get to grips with my garden this autumn. The first to go will be the chicory, I bought it on impulse years ago at an open garden, it flowers for such a short time and gives very little not even nice leaves:-( Perhaps you could also do a blog on perennials and shrubs that don't really earn their place, especially in a small garden. Thanks again for the ideas:-))

A wonderful performance from a lovely selection of plants Louise. Comtesse de Bouchard looks a lovely healthy plant. I got one of these in the collection I purchased recently....Your photography is darned good too:))))))

Great shots Louise I love them all, as for getting the correct colour in photography it takes the experts a bit of doing as you have to have semi sophiosticated daylight flash and certain settings on the camera's, but you don't need all that, you have got them ok.

Thanks folks :))
Bornagain, the Gerberas ARE hardy here and do SO well too.
The soil's thin, alkaline and sunbaked where the Scabious, Dianthus and Gerberas are and that makes a big difference to growth habits - some love it and some loathe it.
A lot of my Campanulas are over in that section too but some, in the same soil but semi shade as is Shaggy.
The Scutellaria is in neutral - acid soil (still free draining though) in the rock garden in the back garden.

Interesting you say about the Cichorium !!!
C. intybus 'Roseum' is what i've ordered from a nursery -that'll get despatched next month, i hope i'll be more enamoured with it than you are - will let you know !!!

Alice, i've a good camera, that's all :)
And Comtesse ..... she keeps bouncing back despite having her flowers eaten constantly !

Even though I can't relate to many of your perennials - except gerberas, the dianthus and the scuttellaria - I did appreciate your lovely photos. It's always interesting to find out what works in other gardens. Thanks - enjoyed the blog.

Thanks Bob and Bernie :)

I agree Bernie, i'm always interested to see what grows -and doesn't - in other peoples gardens.

Enjoyed the blog & pic's Louise. Love the Astrantia & Princess of Wales especially....the Gauras & Geums have really been earning their keep in my garden.

Excellent to see what you have enjoyed all year so far, theyre lovely plants and flowers, I love the pics with the butterfly which looks like a marbled white, thanks Louise nice blog!

Thank you Indy, it is indeed a Marbled White !

Thanks for sharing you lovely plants with us Louise. It's been an odd year for flowering plants here, but as usual - winners and losers. Although no longer flowering, Astilbes have put on a good show for me as they usually get frazzled up by the sun and go over quickly. That ground cover clematis sounds great, must look out for it. Beautiful photos.

Isn't that funny .... the Astilbe i have (the one in shade. 'Sprite' in the sun was fine) are in the 'Poor Performers' category this year.
So too Rosa Summer Wine and Compassion :(

Louise, I've tried googling c intybus roseum but no joy Is it very new? It's probably a lot nicer than mine which is very tall and probably in the wrong place and because I don't stake it, fans out and generally looks untidy. Ok it's my fault... maybe I'll just move it....but where??? :-)

Great blog Louise, I can't add anything to your list, being my first year with the flowery things but I must say I have enjoyed them all and will be........ sorry, I am already, planning ahead for next year. :~)) (blush)

I'm right with you Ian - planning next year !!!

Bornagain, i've just sent you a PM :)

What about Rosa Perpetue? :))))

Not that great.
I have mine in a pot Alice and i think that's the difference between ours :/
As and when there's an appropriate home for it, in the pot it stays !

Loved your blog and photos

My Pink Perpetue did flower...but it does not like the rain!!

You have lovely flowers. I like your clematis. They're one of my favourite plants.

Thanks Hywel, i can't fit another Clematis in here now - i'm full to overflowing with them !!!

Yoy can always fit in another clematis lol :o)

Lovely selection and glad do know they are all such good 'doers'. I particularly like that Argyranthemum - there are some really pretty ones around now.

Superb pictures Louise. I really must get that clematis. Princess of Wales.

You'll not be sorry Rbtkew, it's got to be one of the best.

Wow...what a stunning collection of beautiful plants Louise..and gorgeous photos too.....the Sole Mio was my fave....:o)

Great blog and a selection of plants to be proud of.

glad to see your 'Shaggy' is doing well, I was thinking about getting that one, now I'm convinced Ta!

Beautiful set of p0hotos........

BRAVO! BRAVO! ENCORE!

:)))
Thank you everyone