New bed, end of July

looks fantastic!

so lovely spritz

Your garden is a credit to you, can I see the little geraniums there. I have the pink and purple ones and there are always an odd flower on them after the bulk, is there a special way to cut them back to stop them getting straggly and yet flower again? How hard and when? I am always loath to cut them when there is some colour there! I am not bold enough I am sure.

There isn't a geranium in sight in this photo - but I did plant 'Coombland White' in this bed.

As to cutting them back, yes, most do respond well to a shearing ...I give my large clumps of G x magnificum a real going over, and the leaves come back fresher. This is the only one that doesn't produce more flowers, though.

Johnson's Blue does, the G. sanguineums do, and the x cantabrigiense ones. So do the pratenses, but I only dead-head those, I don't cut them hard back. The maccrorrhizums I leave, apart from decreasing the size of the clumps as they do spread so much - then I get lovely autumn colour! They don't flower twice,

Ones that keep on and on flowering, like Rozanne and Jolly Bee, I just leave alone.

If you have a particular one in mind, do ask - if I don't know, I have a book! :-)

I'm getting fed up with this Spritz. Why is it that you have nothing that I don't like?

That's an amazing amount of growth in a short time, Spritz. Looking lovely.

Agree with Wagger..this has come on a treat !

Thanks - I suspect that I shall find that I've put too many plants in, but what's new? Some are annuals, though, like the white/cream Gazanias and some Pennisetum setaceum grasses, which I haven't managed to over-winter successfully yet.

Oh this is amazing... looks stunning Spritz, you must be soooooo pleased.

Yes, I am.........I know when we chatted about my plans, Angie, you approved of the colour scheme, and it worked, didn't it!

The other good thing is that as it's an island bed, I can reach into the middle with a long handled fork, and get weeds out as they appear! I'm not good with a hoe - but my small-headed fork is really good.

love it Spritz.
it all looks so lush. ;-))

oh yes i definately do approve... it looks stunning, and i would imagine being an island bed does make it soooo much easier... my garden is just not the right shape for one... or as you could imagine i would have one or two lol.... i'll have to make do with my funny shape edges instead... and stepping stones to get to weeding at the back... seems to be workin ok :D and once again well done you!

Thanks Angie! Don't say 'funny shaped edges'...they're a lovely curved shape! :-)

:D yes i know really lol......

And your stepping stones would help me in one or two places in my garden! Great idea.

they are handy... and during the summer months when i don't tend to do as much weeding... well if i do it right in the spring, don't need to much this time of year...er em won't comment on this year :-/ anyway back to the point,..... ideal double up for a nice summer pot of some sort... good for a bit of interest in winter too.... i actually nicked the idea off a garden programme i saw a few years ago..

Your island bed looks lovely, I'm so impressed!
I like Majeekahead's ideas with the stepping stones too!