With all this recent and, yes, welcomed rain, much in the garden is lush and green and either growing vigorously or flopping under the weight of the moisture. Last weekend's jobs including lots of trimming back, but nothing in areas where birds may still be nesting. I also undertook some much-needed staking, including the poor Allium Christophii which were arching towards the ground under the weight of the water. The bird feeder continues to see lots of newly fledged tits and finches and it is sweetly amusing to see them watching their parents and then themselves trying to navigate the entrances and perches that will deliver their desired meal. Now to this week's six, which I’m finishing off under the warmth of the sun on the patio and to the sound of bees and birds as they breakfast:
1) Astrantia
I fell in love with this the very first time I saw it as we were sitting in a friend's garden having lunch. They tolerate shade, and we have lots of that in our garden. I did my usual thing of buying one to see if it would survive the slugs and snails and it did, so more were acquired. It loves the damp conditions that we have at the moment and pairs well with Pimpinella major "rosea" that you may have seen in last week's post.
2) Geranium Rozanne "Gerwat"
This year I've planted "Rozanne" for the first time. It, too, I'd seen in other gardens and having looked it up and seen just how long it flowers for, I acquired some. These are the first flowers and I'm looking forward to seeing them all the way through to the autumn. They are clearly enjoyed by the bees, too.
3) Sambucus nigra
This is another plant inspired by our local gardening group as I first saw it on a visit to one member's garden. I love the combination of the very nearly black leaves and the way in which they beautifully set off the delicate pink flowerheads. This year is its second year and it has become quite vigorous but I'm relieved to read that it will respond well to pruning, either a light prune, or a hard prune in early spring.
4) Rosa "climbing iceberg"
I have some trellis positioned to screen the shed and have gradually been training this lovely pale scented climber against it. It took a few years to get going but seems very settled this year, producing lots of new growth and delicately scented flowers despite being located in an area heavily overshadowed by the large sycamore trees which are the other side of the fence and which challenge not only light levels, but moisture levels too.
5) Centaurea - blue cornflower
This cornflower was in the garden when I moved here thirty seven years ago! It is in completely the wrong place, right beside the path, but somehow I've not got around to moving it and, to be honest, most years I've simply cut it down to the ground when it becomes too gangly, blackfly-ridden and floppy over the path. This year I've decided to be a bit kinder to it, have given it some support, and am removing the spent flowerheads and some gangly stalks. It is thriving and is rewarding me with these lovely blue flowers. I'm now having a go at propogating it in the hope of locating some slightly further back in the bed.
6) Geranium sanguineum
I acquired this geranium last year and am really loving the little open pink flowers that it produces against some darker green serrated leaves. It is now happily intermingling with vinca minor to produce nice interesting ground cover underneath a hawthorn tree.
That's all for this week, folks. I'm off now to cycle along the nearby Thames Path.
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