The garden in July!

It’s all looking wonderful, Rose! Your hydrangea looks blousy and colourful at best! Your shaded area looks like the heat didn’t have any adverse effects, thankfully…grass looking green and healthy too.
I think you’re perseverance despite your fall has paid off! Plus, needs must - it’s been so difficult for you to water because of your fall/injury. Everyone has different notions on watering, planting etc…you do what is right for you at the time!
To be honest, our grass had quite a bit of hosing when OH was doing the patio - some dust/ powder stuff/concrete or the like ended up on the grass and he’d use the hose while he was cleaning the new pavers. Our 2 buts were virtually empty. However 2 days of drizzle and they’ve filled up nicely. I did use the bits when I watered the pots, but Rose, I’ve not many pots at all, so I was lucky!
Your blooms are all looking colourful and standing to attention, plus the agapanthus is a beauty!
Looking forward to seeing your front garden plans come to life! 😊

Thanks Kate!
We have had rain on and off most of the day so my big water butt is now full! Although I still can't walk far with a can in one hand and a stick in the other!
As for the front..well, the grass is totally brown and there will be a lot of plants to come out before new ones go in.
Not sure where I will put the spare plants though!
I love the Agapanthus and over the years have accumalated quite a few by splitting them.
The best thing is that they look after themselves!

What a wonderful display! One of my big fails is the hydrangea. I can get them to grow big and bushy but they never go into bloom. I’ve tried adjusting the fertilizer to induce flowering, adding epsom salt to the soil to get into an acidic ph range, even cutting them down to ground level to get a fresh start next season. Nothing works. Yet my neighbors have ones of different varieties in different locations and sun exposures and get beautiful blooms. Sorry... long story short, I envy you.

Thank you Loosestrife2.
I can't imagine why you could never grow hydrangeas!
Maybe you are too kind to them!
I have never done much to mine apart from the very occasional sea weed plant tonic.
Thats all they need at the beginning of the season, unless the leaves start to go yellow.
I have grown them in all kinds of soil including here where it is clay!
When we moved here nearly 4 years ago, I had only ever had sandy soil or a good working medium soil , so after landscaping and creating the borders , I added a lot of compost. The one I use is called Jack'sMagic.
I haven't added anything since!
They do like to be watered regularly though.
The worst thing you can do for hydrangeas is to cut the spent flower heads off before March or April as the seed heads protect new growth.
Cutting down to ground level is the worst thing you could do!
I hope this helps!

It does and thank you very much!

I only top up my fish pond with the hose, unfortunately we have a hosepipe ban from this friday, my 5 water butts of rain water wont last long keeping my fish happy.

That bed is lovely! It doesn't seem long since you were making it and now its looks as if its been there for years!

You are very welcome Loosestrife and hope you get success with them next year!

I have gravel over all my borders now Julia as the fox kept digging huge holes everywhere and one year almost dug my Ceaonothis up which is as big as a small tree now, so I suppose this could also act as a mulch!

We had a full night and part of the day with rain the other night Siris and now my water butt is full!
I only have room for one unfortunately!

Thanks Sue! I can't believe how everything has established so quickly!

Your garden has coped amazingly well with the hot, dry weather Rose and you have done well to keep everything going. I do love agapanthus - they grow wild on the Isles of Scilly and we have brought them back over the years but they don’t do all that well in our garden. Your hydrangea looks beautiful - they do need a lot of water don’t they? We have only had drizzly rain so far so the water butts are not filling up much at all. Just need a downpour now!!

Thanks Chris! I love Agapanthus too and sorry you can't grow them in your garden!
I wonder why!
We have had almost 24 hours of rain now!
Thank goodness!
The hydrangeas will be happy! xx