Six on Saturday - Flaming June

 It is not quite the flaming June of past years, but I am completely pleased with that.  Overnight we had a light shower or two, enough to make the foliage glisten and bow down the huge trusses of roses that are on the Rose Munstead Wood, but dead heading will be a job for tomorrow as today my son is visiting.  The Six on Saturday club is not exclusive nor is it compulsory to join in each week, if you fancy joining in, do go over to Jim's post this week, where as well as some real beauties in his garden, the rules of the game are explained.

1. The blooms are so heavy with this rose variety, even though the stems are strong, they have needed to be staked.  Planted on the far side by the seating circle and near the stone wall where the oak trees overhang,  they tend to grow towards the light.  To be fair anything planted there would do the same. Maybe I ought to have disbudded it but it is such a hard thing to discard potential blooms.

Rose Home Florist Timeless 'Charisma'

2.This yellow flowered hypericum in the gravel garden is such an attractive plant, stems are soft and growing from a central point, and with no suckering evident. 

Hypericum polyphyllum grandiflorum 

Hypericum polyphyllum grandiflorum is no higher than 20cm and each stem terminates with a bud, with a couple more waiting to come out each side of the first flower.  The foliage is an attractive glaucous green. Already I am looking to increase it and may try some cuttings.

3. Each year the front of the shady border has a hurrah moment which lasts two or three weeks at least with the beautifully purple and green low growing Saxifraga stolonifera as it throws up its flower spikes. It adds that soft romantic look and is a real charmer.

Saxifraga stolonifera

As we are having breakfast early in the morning when the light shines through them, they are a real delight.

4. Clematis Olympia  is my favourite clematis in the garden.  It does flower for a long time with a little dead heading helping that out.

Clematis Olympia

Having a good blue flower and since not growing very tall it is ideal and happy in its large pot with its obelisk.  Last year it was rather neglected watering wise after August, and I consider myself lucky that it is doing so well this year.  

Clematis Olympia close up

 It is really ready to be repotted into new soil, and as I read that early in the year just as they are coming out of dormancy is the best time to divide, it will be on my to do list for early March 2025. I have finally got to grip with my mobile phone to do lists and will start adding jobs there, as I often forget to go them.

5. Last Saturday I did a stint for my HPS group at Batcombe Gardens, and in a gap when I had time get to know the stock on the stand, came across three little plants which I bought. They are Persicaria dimity, Cistus laurifolius and a white perennial sweet pea.

6.  I have a couple of these Geraniums that are flowering their socks off at the moment.  Are they swamping some choice plants, or are they just gently blending into the surrounding foliage?  I have been somewhat of 'a hands off gardener' over the last few weeks, so lay my mind to rest I shall have to get amongst them and maybe constrain them. They can take a little chopping back! 

Geranium Ann Folkard

For my regular SOS buddies, as well as other friends, my absence from blogging has been noticed.  Rather than gardening I have had other work to do, and other gardens to visit. I notice that there are a few 'weeds' and self seedlings but worst of all, I have found no way of fending off the grey squirrels and every strawberry is being picked off, despite them being netted, and most of the apples have teeth marks on them.  A job for Sunday will be to discard all the strawberry plants!