Anything different in the garden this July - Six on Saturday

 Is there anything different this July?  Yes and no, things have grown bigger than last year, or even just over the last few weeks.  Perennials such as the hardy geraniums and looking summer tired and have started to be chopped down, or maybe even grubbed out for a reorganisation, as I think the garden could do with the benefit of a few annuals next year. Favouring a few more annuals  may have been a consequence of reading one the posts this week which like mine is linked into Jim's post. There I enjoy reading about fellow SOSers exploits in the garden. 

1. For sure I love certain plants which grow to the maturity or at least get too large for the space I have.   A case in point are the Aeoniums.  My beautiful large Aeonium velour has made numerous plants, as has the Aeonium ‘Schwarzkopf’.  When some gusts of wind caught one plant and sent it to the ground breaking off a few stems I knew it was time to 'rejuvenate' the plants. These are just the ones I am keeping for myself, others were made and have already moved on!

2. My roses are 'in the doldrums', but Rose Grace is having a good second flush.  There is one little Patio Rose 'Shine On', that was absolutely covered in black spot and it was easier to cut the blooms, clear all the leaves and give the plant a good pruning.  I hope it recovers.  I haven't been spraying against mildews and blackspots this year, and I am really wondering whether I want a garden than needs regular spraying?  I'll just move over towards plants and varieties that are fairly resilient.  In the meantime the  snipped flowers on Shine On have made up a little kitchen widow sill arrangement.

 3. A view from the study window towards the 'shady border' shows that the Hydrangea has benefited from the earlier rains, but also needed a bucket or two of water over the last few very hot days.

Sadly the non gardening neighbours had a couple of cowboys come and 'trim' a long border with handsome shrubs and trees, and they literally took a chain saw across the lot : gone are the laburnum, mimosa, shrubs etc which are now just stumps around a metre high. 

4. A few perennials furnish the 'understory'  with a little colour that carries on in between the flushes  of roses.

Fuchsia Tom West or I thought it was, here very prostrate but Jim who is a 'Fuchsia' buff will hopefully put me right,  Edging alongside is a white flowered sedum 'Frosty Morn' that doesn't mind the hot weather at all.  Behind the lot and waiting for trim is the pretty dark centred pink strawberry like flower of the Potentilla nepalensis 'Miss Willmott'.

5. As delicate as one can get. I was really delighted to come across this in the undergrowth.  As this is where I often find slowworms I guess that it must be from one what recently discarded its skin. 

6. It has certainly been a good year for Fuchsias in the garden.  This again is a plant that has over the years since it has been in the grown by the seating circle grown a little too large.  Cuttings are going to be taken, and when they have taken, and the plant has finished flowering, I shall need to get out there and clear it away. 

Fuchsia Delta's Sarah

That's it for this week...until next time: Happy Gardening.