My front garden today

You have a beautiful garden...

Very pretty planting, Shirley, your pots and hanging baskets etc were well worth the effort - they are lovely. Didn't you have heavy rain yesterday? It was torrential here but filled the water butts nicely. I have just come in from dead heading, cutting back etc.

The planting in the gravel looks really good. The petunia tumbling Clara is a winner. I might have to get that next year.

Very inspiring. thanks for the visit.

Thanks Michaella ... the car gets parked on the drive but you don't need to see that!

Thank you Gee, we had some rain overnight and yesterday morning but not enough to do any good really. It's bound to pour tomorrow as the car had a wash and polish today ... :o)

Waddy, I know we all have different scents we like, but that Petunia really is gorgeous ... to me anyway!

You're welcome Paul .....

love it all!!

Very nice, Shirley. It seems you have hot Continental weather over there, as Santolina likes it.
I have the same blue pot (the upper one) :-)

Thanks Barbara ... I have just watered out there and cannot tell you how awful those yellow flowers smell! Methinks they'll be gone before too long ... :o(

Yeah, I'd have that right out Shirley. Sorry, but I've never liked them. Your lavender is incredible! I've never seen one so brightly coloured..do you know what kind it is please? that Kniphofia is weird isn't it...in a good way though. :)

Your garden and baskets look lovely,Shirley,and my Lavender is huge this year too..but oh,the Santolina! I cut all the horrible stinky flowers off mine,quick sticks,as I couldn't bear them either.! A shame,but I like the silver foliage better..I got rid of mine eventually..:o) Is your Osmanthus the same as the one you sent me? as mine isn't the same shape ! just like people eh? lol..yours look quite compact,and mine is more open and spread out..:o)) x

The Santolina is obviously one to avoid especially as round these parts we get quite enough 'farm' smells without producing them in the garden! I bet its days are numbered!

Your garden is very lovely and your pretty hanging baskets are a triumph. The petunias are beautiful.

Katarina, we have had some very hot weather down here on the South coast of England, cooler now though.

Karen, it's Hidcote and is now five years old. It's on my garden page, if you want to see how small it was when first planted in the gravel. Now then, what to plant when the Santolina is out? Something evergreen and sweetly scented?

Yes Sandra, the Osmanthus is the same as the one I sent you. I wish I was more compact, instead of spread out!

Wildrose, I can see that Santolina being removed asap!

Shirley, please, keep Santolina where it is. It is optimal and hardy plant, which you can shape in a nice grey and gold ball by just cutting after flowering into certain shape. All Mediterranean rocky gardens use its wonderful yellow contrast colour (together with Achillea, which also doesn´t smell like rose) with blue flowers. I would keep it as it is, I would add some more lavenders instead of digging santolina out. It is nice combo.

Oh but it does pong Katarina!...masking the lovely lavender
makes you think a cats done a 'whoopsie' somewhere

You front gardens a delight Shirley.....The Santolina's going a bit straggly anyway
how about a white lavender?

pots and baskets are lovely....I do like the double petuias........seeme to have coped with the heat!
bit o a change today, distinctly chilly!

Will have to try those Petunia Tumbelina look good.

They are lovely Peter, I had the lilac ones the other year, sweet perfume too

Thank you Pam ... this morning I removed all the stinky yellow flowers from the Santolina ... seriously considering removing the whole thing ... sorry Katarina!

Your garden and the baskets look lovely Shirley, I was admiring the yellow with the lavender but on reading all the comments I guess I'll give that one a miss, lol....

Hello Shirley - yes your baskets are so colourful - I wonder how long it takes to water them - ours have dried out today even though it has rained - the wind has dried them out - your lavender is looking well too - - we had a yellow plant similar to yours - we called it a curry plant - it was banned from the garden and is now down the allotment!! psing as an herb!! - maybe - maybe not - Jane

Thanks Lincs, it's a South facing front garden so I have tried to plant sun-loving plants. Yes, don't bother with a stinky Santolina ... lol!

Hello Jane, now that the water butts are empty I'm using the fine spray nozzle of the hose pipe. Doesn't take too long really. The curry plant is probably a Helichrysum, has strong smelling leaves I think. At least you gave it a second home and didn't chuck it!

Very nice ...I love that little apricot(?) colour Potentilla, Shirley. They really are a great plant for growing over/around rocks/gravel.

Paul, I keep training those Potentillas up and over the rocks ... how sad is that?

Not sad at all, although they probably blow off the rocks in a strong wind as they tend to get a bit too heavy when in flower.

Your baskets and tubs are nice and colourful Shirley, and I like your plants in the gravel bed :) All very pleasant to look at :)

It all looks lovely Shirley and I love that double Petunia ! Are you facing countryside ? I could just see the trees !

Oh thank you for those kind words Hywel :o)

Rose, if only we did face the countryside! We have a road, then a line of Plum trees screening the houses beyond so it's great now, not so good in the Winter when the leaves have fallen.

Oh well Shirley...plenty of plums to go round then !

Yes indeed, occasionally I see folk gathering them in late Summer.

Love your baskets, very pretty. Pebble garden is looking good too. If you do change the Santolina how about Senecio Silver Dormouse, it has the same silver leaves & yellow flowers but not stinky & its evergreen.

Brachyglottis Walberton's Silver Dormouse (='Walbrach') is a compact evergreen shrub with small oval evergreen leaves, silvery-grey on top with silver undersides. Masses of bright yellow daisy-like flowers are produced in summer. It does best in full sun, in a well drained soil, and looks good in gravel gardens or Mediterranean-style planting.

Thanks Green finger - that Santolina has been cut down almost to ground level and will be dug out this week. Not sure what, or even if, anything will be replacing it. I have a Brachyglottis in the back garden.

You have a beautiful front garden Shirley, and I love your half baskets, a real picture and so professional, that Clara is a corker!!

Thank you Angela ... I shall definitely get Clara again!