When I started taking photos in the garden this morning it didn’t feel as though there was a lot in flower. My garden feels like it is in a bit of a lull between early summer and late summer which I am sure the lack of rain for the last month hasn’t helped.
The roses and geraniums are over, although many of the roses are building up for a second flush, and now we are moving into the stronger colours of the crocosmia, agapanthus, asters, kniphofia and rudbeckia; but we aren’t quite there yet.
The number of agapanthus in my garden are slowly growing. They are all planted out in the borders, apart from the white one above which is in a pot.. I have to admit that I’m not sure about the varieties as I have had some of them for years. Most of them are in the big border which is the sunny past of the garden and relatively free draining plus the slope helps avoid them becoming too water logged over winter. One of the benefits of my neighbours removing all the trees along the fence line is that my agapanthus now grow more upright.
Bulbs as probably my favorite plant group and the big border is home to all sorts which bring color throughout the year. I am particularly fond of alliums and have one variety or another flowering throughout late spring to late summer. Allium sphaerocephalon is actually in the front garden and is left over from when I had borders and a lawn. It pops up here and there with its long stems and pointy flower heads which waft around in the breeze. These two are intent on being together, no matter how many times I untangled them for their photo.
I’m not a huge fan of Phlox, I find them a little fussy and their big flower heads feel a little incongruous with the rest of the plants in the garden. However, this is Phlox paniculata ‘David’ which has the most heavenly scent. I bought it a number of years back from Wollerton Old Hall and the scent was so strong on the way home it was almost intoxicating. Sadly whilst it reappears dutifully each year it is very slow to bulk up.
Having said I’m not mad on the big flower heads of the Phlox I do like Hydrangeas, although it’s the dry flower heads that I have a real weakness for. This hydrangea lives in a large pot on the patio and is flowering its socks off yet again this year.
Also on the patio are two large pots of Kangaroo Paw (Angiozanthos) which I am hugely proud of having grown them from seed some years back, so you have two photos so I can show off. This is the third year they have flowered – I just love the strangeness of them.
I also love the flowers of the Aloe striatula var. caesia which I bought probably 4 years ago. It has come through a number of very old winters here outside planted in the ground. The only thing I do to protect it is to cover it with fleece if a long period of cold is forecast. It grows in a narrow border along the front of the house in full sun. The border is predominantly gravel and builders rubble which helps with the drainage allowing me to grow a few more exotic looking plants.
Finally a trio of perennials which are adding a little sparkle ahead of the main late summer display.
Thank you to Carol over at May Dreams for hosting this meme, which may well be the longest running garden related meme.
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