Here we are, the middle of July, and it is still raining! Occasionally the sun has broken through and when that happens it is really quite warm and actually feels like summer. My garden is like a bog, the lawn squelches when I walk on it and there is lying water on the flower beds.
As previous posts will have shown, the snails and slugs are making a feast of anything and everything in their path. Due to the lack of sunshine all the flowers are very slow to appear. I had hoped to fill this post with wonderful and colourful blooms but sadly have failed.
The roses are looking very sorry for themselves and the majority of them have decided not to flower again which is disappointing and I hope they change their minds soon.
The poppies are in tight bud as though they are afraid to take their jackets off, that is the poppies that are left standing of course, because several of them have been turned into sticks courtesy of the resident gastropods.
However, let’s be cheerful about this. There are plants that are loving this weather, one of which is the Hydrangea in the front garden, which has blooms on it bigger than your head.
I bought a Clematis Jouiania Praecox several years ago which grows on the side wall through the Compassion rose, it has tiny blue flowers and always looks impressive. This year it is rampant, so clearly another plant loving the rain.
The Daylily has also decided to flower, having been in bud for several weeks. I can’t remember what it is called but it is a pretty apricot colour and I wish I had a few more.
There are a number of other plants on the verge of blooming and had we had more sun recently would be adding lots of colour to the garden. As you will see looking at these photos, it is rare to capture blooms at the moment without raindrops on them.
Finally, below is a photograph of the bottom flower bed, with the Agapanthus, which is looking splendid this year, and the Ballerina Rose behind it. The Astrantia is still blooming happily and the Spirea is adding much needed colour to the border. The Cleome have tiny little buds on them so with a bit of luck, come the August GBBD I will be able to fill the post with glorious blooms.
The weather is different all around the world at the moment and there are places in the USA that have had temperatures way above the norm and very little rain. I will be interested to read all the other Garden Bloggers Bloom Day posts to see how everyone is fairing in this peculiar year for weather.
Thank you Carol of May Dream Gardens for hosting this meme, which is a great way to keep a photographic diary throughout the years. Happy GBBD everyone.
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