May in the garden - Six things for 'Six on Saturday'

My garden, unlike Jim's who now hosts this weekly trot round the garden to find six things to mention, is not 'visitor' worthy at the moment. The front garden may appeal to plants people or visitors on the close.  Jim is opening his garden this summer, bless him, he is working hard to get it in perfect form.Jim is opening his garden this summer, bless him, he is working hard to get it in perfect form.

1. Close to where we sit and have lunch in the back garden is a tub which has had the same planting for the past three years.  The Nemesia Wisley Vanilla are into their third year and are wafting their scent around in that sheltered corner, under the Corkscrew willow: Salix matsudana 'Tortusa'.

Nemesia Wisley Vanilla into their third year

2.We were sitting at the Blue Table having lunch and there was the smallest of spiders crawling across the table.  It was quite content and stayed there whilst I rushed inside and picked up the phone. It is probably Araniella cucurbitina.

Cucumber Green Orb Spider

I've been doing a major edit in the back garden, and have dug out some things which are either not performing, or just not working in the garden, gone are the two pear trees, and the large Garrya elliptica which has not borne a single tassel over the past years.  

Therefore for the rest will be from the front 'Mediterranean Garden'.

3. The two shrubs of Phlomis fruticosa Bourgaie are the largest shrubs in the area by the window.

Phlomis fruticosa Bourgaie

4. Behind it and rather being overwhelmed at present, are the Tulip sprengeri.  I really ought to move them to the sunnier side of the shrubs.  Just how deep will they have sunk?  Has anyone any experience of digging them up?   There are too many tulips in too tight a clump and in any case they need to be spread out a little.  When the foliage has died down I shall have a go. These too were sown from seed given to me from a friend's garden.

5. Along the south side of the house this 'Mediterranean themed' garden extends along a narrow bed.

Just to the left of this is another shrubby Phlomis which is  a sophisticated pink number: Phlomis pupurea 'Matagallo'. 

With its silver stems and leaves it is probably my favourite Phlomis, though it is a little tall, and I ought to cut it well back to allow the younger shoots to come through for next year, after the flowering is over.  This is another shrub that I grew from seed bought from Chiltern Seeds, though they do not seem to stock this at present.

 

Phlomis pupurea 'Matagallo' amongst grasses and Irises

6. Right up by the front door, should any elephant happen to be passing, it would go straight for this succulent: Portulacaria afra or elephant bush plant.

It feels as if Summer has arrived, a coolish British Summer though. I've had to fast forward through Chelsea on the TV, it seemed to be all about the presenters and just how many do they need?  Gave up in the end, I want to see gardens and plants and not hear about all the messages etc.  Is there an episode or somewhere to view the gardens?