Early June Posy

A little larger and more open than a posy perhaps, this is my bunch of flowers picked yesterday on the 31st of May.  So today this is on my window sill at the front of the house, with gentle light filtering through the various blooms.  Its been fairly nippy, but the garden is non the worse for it.  The cool weather and rain, but also days with good light,  has meant some flowers are hanging on for a good month.

Self seeded Aquiligia, known also as Granny's bonnet in pink and purple, Blue and White Centaurea Montana Alba, Phuopsis Stylosa, Lily of the Valley, Purple Erysium Bowles Mauve, seed heads of Muscari, Airy light flowers of Saxifrage umbrosa Variagata, also known as Variegated London's Pride, and Dicentra Eximia commonly called Fringed Bleeding Heart and some of their leaves, together with with strawberry leaves.

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The bees forage, this one is on Centaurea Montana Alba, and it is very nearly 'full house' as they have been very busy.  Even the larger canes are being filled and the Mason Bees are starting to use the in between spaces.  I shall look out for more bee houses for next year, but I know not to get ones with too narrow canes nor ones that are too large.

I was about to dead head some Muscari, and could not resist keeping the  'succulent looking' seed heads for the arrangement.

and on closer inspection the flowers of the Variagated London's Pride were charming,

This is Phuopsis Stylosa, also known as Caucasian Crosswort, which I bought last year, and which sounds like the name of  an embroidery stitch.   I love the flower heads and the whorls of leaves.  It was very heavily scented when crushed with a smell not altogether pleasant during the spring, but as it has matured and flowered there is no scent, so with fairly long stems, this is a winner as an unusual cut flower, as far as I am concerned.

 I am suffering at the moment, suffering from a surfeit of plants.  I have been out of control, and really there are too many pots hanging around.  I've therefore decided to sink some into the gravel, and see how things go.  This means than you have to use the stepping stones going down the garden for fear of treading on a little treasure.  Also I am reducing some of my larger clumps of perennials.

Most of the conservatory plants are also now outside for the summer.

July Month End View of my Garden

I love gardens, gardening, and plants.  I love visiting other gardens, and recently the standard of National Trust Gardens has been increasing, whether it is because they have many more volunteers, or whether there has been a concerted effort to make more of them I'm unsure.

Another delight recently has been looking at gardens on the internet.  For a few months I have been delving into Helen's Blog called The Patient Gardener's Weblog.  So in keeping with this, I shall upload a monthly view of my garden.  That's not a promise that I shan't write about individual plants or items in the garden in between!

This month saw the garden under strain from strong sunshine, hot days, and lack of rain, until that is the very last day of the month.  I've now got a watering system for most of my pots, but I do still prefer to water with a can from the waterbutt.  I very seldom water plants in the soil except when they are brand new..but I really thought I would have had to get the hose out, and spend an hour or so coming the rescue of individual plants and shrubs.

 This is the little shaded area behind the gazebo, which I am gradually filling up with fern.

Two courgette plants in tubs, is keeping us supplied with a couple of meals a week, but next year, I hope to find a spot to grow them in the ground.  We have been plagued by squirrels this year, and almost all the apples, pear and plums are now gone, and I am seriously thinking of getting rid of the fruit trees.  The pear tree leaves have a disease, and the comment back from the RHS is that this is currently no prevention or cure for the home gardener.  The plum tree was overrun with green fly and blackfly etc...

The heavy rain pushed the large blooms over, and I have not trussed them up with canes and garden twine.

The clematis by the patio is now pushing right up to the glass, but its worth it..

 With no grass to mow, and stepping stones and gravel the garden is gradually getting filled up with little bits of herbs and shrubs and grasses.

My very large aeoniums have been chopped back, and I have set up my nursery of cuttings in the gazebo, so when we go down for tea, or lunch, I have to shuffle things down to the floor to make room for us.  Mr S laughed at all the pots, he said I thought I was going to rashionalised, I said yes, but I need to take several cuttings just so that I am assured of one, then the rest will be shared out, promise!  Mr S is not convinced!

The auriculas are repotted, side shoots taken off, and in fresh growing medium with slow release fertilizer.

The squirrel has spared the chillies.  I've planted up several trays of sempervivums getting rid of those that have flowered and died back, and set up a second large tray of small ones ready for when Katherine is ready to come and pick them up.

And the potting area is now much tidier!  Slugs have been on the rampage, and I go out hunting by torchlight but have now had to put out some pellets.

I've moved the agapanthus both white and blue ones to stand on the corner of the patio.