Ahhhhhhhh August!

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It’s almost mid August and the garden is still what I would consider a pleasure. I have found nothing a chore this summer. Even getting down on hands and knees, crawling into nooks and crannies hauling out willowherb seedlings has bordered on the satisfactory!

There is plenty of colour and yes, I’ve taken far too many pictures. So apologies are offered for it being a long one!

The little bed outside the back door, which is home to a couple of tiny Acers, filled with Primula and a few other things to tide it over. I really didn’t expect the Salvia to do well here, but it has thoroughly enjoyed it’s new home in this bed.

Salvia x sylvestris Rose Queen

Geranium Wargrave’s Pink still throwing up a few flowers.

Nepeta Six Hills Giant is fighting a loosing battle to flower – although it’s putting on enough growth, the cats are nibbling at the tips!

Geum Dingle Apricot is flowering for a second time.

In the long sunny border – which is just jumping with bumble bees, butterflies and now hoverflies

Potentilla, Monarda, Veronicastrum and Cirsium has thrown up a late flower

Allium, Phlox, Daylilies, Trifolium and Scabious provide for the foraging pollinators.

Out of shot, I’ve got Buddleja, Escallonia, Verbena Bonariensis and more hardy geraniums

Clematis Peppermint not so prolific this year

Cornus alternifolia sits in a raised bed in the middle of the gravelled area, currently underplanted with Dianthus Valda Wyatt and a dwarf Berberis Bagette

Nepeta Blue Danube

I’m giving a couple of perennials a go in containers – ordinarily these struggle in my borders. I’m hoping that they do better in pots, as I already grow sedums in pots, another few to look after isn’t too much bother.
Eryngium bourgatii Graham Stuart Thomas

A couple of pots of Leucanthemum Victorian Secret, quite sumptuous and attracting visitors!

I just can’t resist another couple of butterfly shots, I hope you don’t mind

Did I mention the Hoverflies? – the first Cardoon flower opened yesterday.

This next flower has been a long time coming – bought 3 years ago as a bare root plant in Homebase, despite plenty of foliage every, it’s never flowered. Mind you, it was supposed to be blue – not that I’m complaining, I’m dead pleased it has flowered.
Agapanthus

The top end of the garden is full of hot colours, again jumping with bees and hoverflies.

Persicaria, Helenium and a new Honeysuckle Fragrant Cloud (in it’s own mini raised bed to help drainage). Note the Photinia Red Robin – survived last years floods and the white Astilbe Deutschland, looking completely out of place, will be swapped with a red one which currently grows down by the pond.

More Persicaria and Helenium across the way, Sedum
Purple Emperor, Rosa Warm Welcome and a little red patio rose bought from Tesco the other week. This need some yellow to break it up a bit – what yet, I know not!!!

A selection of pots around the deck include

My sempervium and sedum trough – Sedum Chocolate Ball and a sempervivum coming into flower.

My miniature garden – Sisyrinchium E K Balls providing a little colour when it’s flowers open.

A new clematis to break up the orange/pink
Clematis Voluceau has settled in.

Nothing much going on at the top of the garden, the Heptacodium is full of buds – the question is will it flower this year? and Clematis Ville de Lyon is full to bursting with buds but none yet open.
Geranium Brookside has been a winner all summer

The Kilmarnock Willow has had a bit of a trim – I will thin this out a bit when it goes dormant. The new plants have all settled in and are all showing signs of growth. The Japanese Painted fern has done well this year, now getting a bit more shade. Hosta Wide Brim putting up some flowers a lovely gift from a neighbour for watering her tomatoes whilst she was away.

Down by the pond the Lupin (still not impressed) and Polemonium are flowering for a second time

Hosta Devon Green, Bog Pimpernel and a struggling Acorus. I was advised I could grow Acorus in the pond – can anyone tell me if this is right? Would it prefer to be in the soil?

At the sunnier edge of the pond Cotinus Dusky Maiden flowered this year and Stachys Wisley White is loved by the bees. Alchemilla erythropoda puts on a second flush of flowers.

Astilbe Red Sentinel which will be moved to the top end of the garden in a few weeks time

Veronica spicata Heidekind a bit better than it has done in years past!

Looks like the Kirengeshoma palmatum might even put on a show this year

As we nip down the side path – not much in the way of flowers but it all looks quite good at the moment. Primula vialii and Dicentra King of Hearts just about gone over – Hydrangea and Zantedeschia, I doubt they are going to flower this year.

If you take a closer look – Cortusa matthioli is putting up more flowers – this I didn’t expect.

Hosta Halcyon unlike some of the other hostas isn’t suffering from lack of moisture

A new addition to the garden this weekend Thalictrum ichangense Evening Star I’m hoping it’s going to like it here.

Well that’s it for a walk around the garden, I hope I didn’t bore you all. Thanks very much for reading!

• 11 Aug, 2013
• 16 likes

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