The month is ending up quite warm, nay, one might even call the weather hot! Though rain is never far away so far this year which means that there has been much less need for watering than in previous years.
I am going to start in the cool of the shady Courtyard Garden, yes the bit of dank concrete between the outside cludgy and the conservatory. This is the ideal place to sit when it is warm as the sun takes all day to reach to the back corners. The Hydrangea 'Annabel' is blooming wonderful this year. I repotted her in Spring and she is very grateful.
You can see how the shadow falls, this was taken at around 3.45 pm. The Bonsai trees love this corner as do the begonias who summer outside.
Further along, where the sun sits most of the day, the Brugmansia, Sparmannia and Streliztia are happy.
The other corner of the Courtyard is where these pelagoniums live. They have overwintered indoors for a couple of years now so I am very smug about them.
This pelagonium is Vectis Starbright and is four years old now, my smugness knows no bounds on this. She is also a happy memory, one of my first post-lockdown trips was to go on a pelagonium shopping trip and this was one of the purchases.
The garden itself is green and lush. The lawn has not burned to brown just yet.
In the Coal Bunker Border the Joe Pie Weed is flowering well as are the Crocosmia Lucifer.
I have quite a lot of crocosmia, this is a lovely orange and red combination. I have lost the name of the orange one sadly.
There is still much to happen in the garden. The Sedum remind me that it is not their time to shine just yet.
Further up in the garden the remaining Prairie Border is now a mass of echinops and perennial sunflower. I actually quite like the way it has evolved. I will hold off a mass cull of plants in this area just yet.
The Sanguisorba 'Lilac Squirrel' has gone bonkers-conkers this year, what a joy it is.
But the Cercis siliquastrum by the side of it has withered badly, I think it might be dead but I do not understand why. I am keeping an unhopeful eye on it.
The Exotic Border is a happier sight and looking lush.
The Wild Garden has had its early Summer demi-cut. Not a full mow, but a reduction of the grasses to let some light in. I even managed not to brush-cut any of the shrubs growing in it, always a victory when I manage to take care.
In the Woodland Border there are a few Nigella, it has been a poor year for them this year for some reason. The self-sown sedum pops up in this year and are enjoyed by pollinators.
The Amicia zygomeris is growing very well this year, but for all the ten-years+ it has been in the garden it has never flowered. Will this year be the year?
Where as the Wisteria alba is flowering again, which is always a delight.
The tender bananas never made it to the Exotic Garden this year, here they sit at the top of the garden and I do like the display they make.
and similar to the Sedums, the Hexadecimal (Heptacodium miconiodes to its mum); is gearing up ready to flower. When this shrubs flowers I know that Autumn is knocking at the door waiting to come in.
and yes this is the pond, yes it is ridiculously overgrown and yes, I will sort it out in the Autumn - promise promise promise.
Take care and be kind.
