Between August rains

I am not complaining about the weather. I have never seen the garden so lush at this time of year! Greensleeves applied their third treatment to the grass last week and I have to say I think their visits are worth every penny. Even though I have some very thin patches the overall effect is greener than it has ever been. I'm sure the inhibiting of any moss is a significant factor. Pity they can't do any treatment to prevent squirrels digging holes and burying peanuts. (No, removing the hazel tree hasn't made any difference!)
This year's weather has really suited dahlias. Here are the first to come into flower. In the background two phlox are providing the pink and white. They seem to love it here and have really flourished.
As usual the bit of planning I managed to put in to colour-balancing the dahlias has gone a bit awry and the success of over-wintered plants in conjunction with some of this years new tubers has resulted in some congested areas but it's all good fun. Some of the nicest surprises with dahlias are the freaks of nature - as in this pompon sporting two rogue red petals.

I between the dahlias the heads of alliums have dried out and are beginning to disintegrate. I find it hard to decide when to cut them down - sometimes they decide for me! Likewise the opium poppy heads. The plants go through a lovely transition from green-blue to brown but then the leaves are a bit grotty before they finally dry out. But here's one I'm glad I left as it's made a great background for this splendid shield bug. I read somewhere a recommendation to spend 20 minutes a day just looking at the insect-life in your garden. There's a lot to be said for that (with your glasses on that is!).

St James's Park late summer colour

I don't know if the plantings in St James's Park are always as spectacular as they were this August (may be something to do with state functions...) but I was astonished at the late-summer colour a week or so back. It is not enhanced!!

I particularly like the Mina lobata (syn.Ipomoea versicolour) growing up the post - particularly the inspired combination with a dark-coloured version of Black eyed Susan. I must give it a try next year if I can find a space....

French beans in a grow bag

Picking, pruning and training have kept me really busy over the summer but the majority of the fruit has now been consumed or turned into jam (blackcurrant this year!) and the dahlias are now well in flower (pics to follow). But one of my successes of the summer is the one Growbag in the greenhouse I planted with 6 French beans which just keep on producing beans! I shall be repeating this exercise next year.
Apologies for dearth of posts - will try harder!

The Royals in harmony!

I should be working but just found this pic of Regal lilies and a delicious spray of Clematis Prince Charles - such a happy combination, albeit taffled up with hop leaves.

I have struggled to grow this clematis since the first I planted adjacent to the (former) Judas tree succumbed to ants. It is just about doing OK this year in a pot, although nowhere near as well as Cl. Princess Diana which has done amazingly well in a large container.... Pity as I particularly love the blue clematis.

Delicious July rain

This afternoon has brought a good downfall of soft warm rain - and an excuse not to cut the grass or pick the last of the pink gooseberries but sit down and write a new post, albeit brief! As I'm stopping in (for now) I thought it would be fun to show the Regal lilies from above, where the circular formation is seen to best advantage, an angle one seldom gets to appreciate.
The heat of the past few days has brought Kiftsgate's flowering to an end with just the remnants of the pink the petals always turn as they catch a little rain and age. After a battle to cut back rampant forsythia and bay (with attendant climbers and ramblers) from the "winter" or "patio" garden nearest the house it will soon be time to have a major all-round pruning session for Kiftsgate, Montana clematis, bay, various ivies and anything else that is rapidly getting away from manageability! But they have all been doing their bit in providing a great habitat for fledgling birds - especially baby robins who have, this year, taken over from the blackbirds in stuffing themselves full of mahonia berries. This morning I saw one helping ittself for the first time, unaided by an adult. What a digestive system they must have!
I picked a small bunch of sweet peas today, having successfully brought some on in a large pot from bought seedlings. They never seem to come out with the rich colours on the labels but their scent makes up for everything. With the honeysuckle in full bloom, Regal lilies and sweet peas the smells are quite overpowering at any time of day or night!

Lilies in the rain!

Summer colour

No time for blogging just now - but here are a couple of pictures from this week!

Yes, it IS a jungle. I just can't find enough time to spend in it! Not that that's much of an excuse.

Cosmos seeds speedy germination

Thanks to The Garden magazine for saying it's not too late to plant Cosmos seeds in June for late summer flowering. I planted up a few pots last Saturday and here they are popping up only a week later, in spite of germination time on the pack marked as 15-20 days!