July has been a month of rain and scorching hot sun. The garden is half crispy and half lush. A confused garden in a confused world. Thankfully my part of Leicester is now out of the tighter restrictions and I feel for those who still are. It feels like things are getting a little easier in some ways yet the virus and the worry remains.
As I start to wander around the garden to take the EoMR photos the cats form a triangle of power. It is clear they are trying to open a portal. They do however show off the crazy paving path to great effect. You may think that crazy paving is naff and dated, I personally think it is expensive to remove and therefore retro and cool. Take your pick.
The hanging basket by the front door is looking good at the moment. I even remember to water it every day. I think I deserve a medal.
The succulents are also doing well. This hot weather is suiting them and I am also watering them routinely.
There are so many pots in the garden this year this collection by the back door makes me happy.
The mini pond also remains a joy. I have had to top it up as we have had some very hot days, but it is still doing very well. £20 well spent.
This is the view across the Coal Bunker Border. I cut back the Euphorbia pastuerii a bit late in the season, but this has actually worked well as it is a more reasonable size this year. I think they are meant to be cut back in Autumn and I cut mine down in Spring. It had got rather large. It is growing ok but it has meant it has not flowered this year, so I think I will give it a light prune in Autumn in order to keep it down a bit but also to hope that it flowers next year.
The cardoons are starting to flower. This was one of the very first plants I planted into the garden when I moved in thirteen years ago and it is still growing well. Pollinators adore it, it is always full of huge bees romping around in it, clearly drunk as lords on the pollen.
The Courtyard Garden is looking green and lush....... and a little mossy.
The hostas are flowering. I was chatting to a friend the other day about how much I love hosta flowers but a lot of people grow them for the foliage only. I feel they are missing a trick.
The pelagonium stand is quite full and the plants are looking good. Again I feel a medal is in order as I am keeping them watered and fed.
This is always one of my favourite views over the garden. This is where I sit on the bench and look out across the garden. It is a shady spot for much of the day but then catches the last of the sun in the evening. This is the wine bench for good reason.
There is a lot of waftiness in the Conservatory Border. There are teasels and the Althea canabina, one of my favourite wafty plants.
The Pond Border, which I thinned out quite ruthlessly earlier this year, is now looking lush again.
I'm loving this crocosmia and persicaria combination.
Sanguisorba Lilac Squirrels has been wonderful this year. I am so glad I added this to the garden. Every year it gets a bit more flamboyant and after the year we have been having I feel like flamboyancy is a good thing.
The Prairie Borders are now getting wafty as well. You can see a flash of pink Lychnis. Usually I weed them out of this year but this year I have been less strict and I like the results.
There are some good flashes of colour in the Exotic Border,
I love this view from the top of the garden, looking past the Woodland Border back towards the house. The house is small, not far away.
We have just had a scorchingly hot day and the hydrangeas have protested by going crispy in the Accidental Shrubbery. I have given them lots of water and a feed and I am hoping they pull through.
If I turn around on this spot, this is my view across the Pond Border, I like this view a lot though this year the hollyhocks are shorter than usual. The dry May seems to have taken some height from the garden.
At the Four Sisters the Edgeworthia is now getting large. This is good, as ever I hope that with every year of maturity it is more likely to get through a hard winter. The Carol Klein acer has got a little wind-burned at times but is also getting really quite large now.
But the Stachyurus chinensis Celina is looking, well, looking a bit dead. I keep watering her in the hope that she is recoverable, but I am not holding my breath.
The veg borders are mainly broccoli and sweet peas. Most of the veg is now in the container garden but the broccoli in the beds has been doing very well.
I finish as is traditional on the pond, which is a little low but I am keeping it weeded to stop it clogging up again. I still cannot decide if it is leaking or just evaporating. The only thing I can measure it against is the mini pond which is definitely not leaking but is also evaporating sometimes quite quickly. I will see how it continues. If I can find an issue in the pond liner I will repair it.
I can hardly believe it is August already. I do not believe in wishing my life away, but I admit to being grateful that this covid year seems to be whizzing by.
Thanks as ever to Helen for hosting this meme.
