Where has the month of June gone, time is just flying by and I’m still playing catch up! We are gradually catching up with all the weeding, having neglected the garden somewhat for 2 yrs, while the medics were trying to decide what was wrong with my muscles. Now though, we are beginning to see our garden emerging from the weeds once more, thank goodness, as now, thanks to new medication, I can manage to do 2 hrs gardening each day, a great improvement on last year when I could only manage 20 minutes! With the under gardener matching me, hour for hour , soon it should all be ship shape again. In this review I will just concentrate on the two areas where I have been changing the planting. The first area is the slope behind the alpine scree.
Here we have the left hand end of the border which is rather shady thanks to a Pittosporum Irene Patterson, which I must cut to a smaller shape. At the front, just out of sight, is an Astilbe at the bottom of the slope which should be nice and damp for it. Behind is the tatting fern, Athyrium frizelliae which has a lovely shape to it. Two new japanese painted ferns have been added, Athyrium niponicum, along with Heuchera Ginger Peach. Behind the day lily foliage, on the left, I have added a dicentra and behind that, Hosta Halcyon. Looking at this photo, it makes me think that it needs a splash of yellow, the grass Hakonechloa maybe, or something white.
I couldn’t resist showing you the lovely freesias that a friend gave me, they are still in their pot, not being hardy, they will have to come into the conservatory for the winter, but for now they can nestle among the golden santolina.
The right hand end still needs a bit more colour. Unfortunately it was foggy this morning when I took the photographs, so some of the flowers are tightly shut! I can assure you that there is quite a bit of pink and yellow from 2 helianthemums, even so I am not totally happy with it yet.
Hosta June seems very happy in her new spot along side a deep purple, pink spotted heuchera, they both have part sun/shade in this area.
Hosta Canada Blue with Heuchera Lime Marmalade on one side and Heuchera Marmalade on the other. These Heucheras and Hostas were supposed to be for the gravel area further round at the back, oh well, will have to buy more in the autumn!
From the balcony, you can see that there are still spaces to be filled, but I keep reminding myself that all these new plants will grow and spread! Yes, I definitely think a yellow grass at the left side is needed. In early spring, there are snowdrops and hellebores, with a few polyanthus to bring some colour to this border, these are followed by a few creeping phlox, then the daylilies which are almost flowering, have small yellow flowers and I think the clump is so large now, it must be split soon. At the right hand side of the old pond, now the alpine scree, is a clump of Iris pseudacorus which has put itself there, at the base of the slope which always stays damp. There are also a few astilbe almost flowering, which have been planted in damp pockets of soil.
At the other side of the garden, the other area that we have been working on is the border by the field which I hope will be my late summer border. You may, or may not, remember that last year I was cutting back all the shrubs by the field as they were taking over the bed and shutting out the light from the plants underneath. It was amazing what we found! We also found lots of bare spaces, so lots of lilies in pots have been dropped in for now, but also I have been growing lots in the greenhouse for this border and now is the time to plant it up, in between all the weeding of the rest of the garden, of course!
There are so many daylilies in this border, all about to burst into flower any day now. Campanulas are making a nice statement among the roses and on the left is a Thalictrum next to the Cardoon that was struggling last year. There are a few alliums here already, but there are lots more in pots to be added now.
So many more plants to be planted , Alstromerias, Dahlias, Echinacea, Agapanthus, Rudbeckia & Penstemons. Already planted this year are Asters , Salvias, Astrantias and Perovskia. All these will obviously be quite small this year, but hopefully next year should bring lots more autumn colour to this border. We’ll have to see if next month brings more colour to this border by the field next door, I hope so.
Thanks must go to Helen at The Patient Gardener for hosting this end of month review, do visit to see other gardens from round the world.
Pleased to read that your new medication is now allowing you to do a bit more in the garden. I bet your garden is pleased to 🙂
You have some lovely plants – I especially like your hosta, heuchera and fern selections. Some of my favourites there. If you can you should try Hosta June in complete shade – it turns a gorgeous blue colour, I highly recommend it!
Thanks for the stroll around your garden and I await to see your daylilies in bloom!
Angie, I did once have another June planted in the woodland, but she lost all her lovely markings, so I moved her to where it is more sunny! Daylilies won’t be long now, there are masses of buds to open, they make such a lovely splash of colour when flowering. Do you dead head yours, I do because I feel they look rather messy otherwise, but some people say I’m too fussy!
Thank you for a glimpse of your lovely garden. These “end of the month reviews” are a great way to share ideas and knowledge. I particularly like the scree bed in what I assume was, in a previous form, a “water feature”. I like your combination of heuchera and japanese fern, I shall certainly try them in my garden.
You’re right Tim, our alpine scree was the pond made by the previous people who lived here. When our first grandson was born we had visions of him climbing up and falling in before we could stop him. We made a natural pond at the top of the garden which is fenced off to keep them safe, we could do away with the fence and gate now they are 12 and 10 yrs old ! I like the end of month views because they show more of the gardens and not just close ups of flowers, but also the problems we all have!
Things are looking very pretty!
I especially like the Hosta paired with the purple Heuchera. And those lilies with the purple flowers behind them.
Happy Gardening!
Lea
Lea’s Menagerie
Thank you Lea, also thank you for stopping by and leaving a message. The campanula behind the lilies are looking better and better each day and the perfume from the lilies is filling that part of the garden!
So glad you are now able to do more of the things you love so much (any chance of any woodcarving too?). Lots to admire in the garden – the new athyriums and heucheras are looking good, and the alpine scree is a lovely feature. There is a large roundabout in our local town planted up with lots of helianthemums surrounded by gravel which shows some insight from the team that planted it – I have recently acquired a few from a special offer collection, so shall be interested to see how long they flower for. Lucky you to have lots more new plants to attend to as well – I am still spending freely from my pension pot as well!
Yes Cathy, it is so good to be out in the garden for a reasonable length of time again, although today, dare I say it, is just too hot, I’ve given up!! I usually do woodcarving in the winter, when the garden doesn’t need so much attention, but I do intend to have a go starting in September.
I’m hoping that the helianthemums will flower for quite some time, there are loads of buds further down the flower stalks, maybe if they are cut back, they will come again, I’ll have to try.
It all looks lovely, but I particularly envy you your Heucheras! They are not so common over here, even online it’s difficult to find a nice variety. That lime one is pretty!
We are so lucky with our Heucheras Cathy, breeders are producing such beautiful ones all the time, I hope it won’t be long before they are available to you. I really like the lime green one too, it shines out of the border!
Everything looks very beautiful. I particularly like the little concrete or hypertufa planter…gorgeous. I have a few of those and am always looking for ideas. Everything in it looks perfectly placed.
Thanks SB, you’re very kind. I’m not too sure which planter you mean, there is a big circular concrete one which the previous people who lived here built, but it was their pond, it is 8ft in diameter! We moved the pond to the top of the garden when our first grandson was born, where we could fence it off with a gate to keep them safe.
Thanks for sharing this, Pauline! I was very interested to see your woodland border as I’ve been planting up a shady border this year and we have very similar tastes in plant choices! I’ve planted a pink clematis for a future splash of colour as I have a mature Viburnam x bodnantense for it to climb up. One of my Heucheras is called Berry Smoothie and is the most glorious colour – like summer pudding mixed with cream! I love the look of your Golden Santolina; I looked it up immediately and couldn’t find a UK supplier so now I’m wondering where you found yours! The colour reminds me of the Golden Oregano that I have growing in my herb bed.
You’re doing extremely well on 2 hours a day – it must be so frustrating not being able to do more but it sounds as though things are getting better – I wish you all the luck in the world with that so that you have time to enjoy your garden. C x
Caro, I have to stress that my husband is matching me, hour for hour, with the gardening this year, he has been so good, as I know he would much rather be doing something else, gardening is definitely not his thing! Between us we should get it sorted this year and back to how I like it.
Your Berry Smoothie sounds truly delicious, I will keep an eye open for it!
You have made me wonder about my Santolina, I’m sure it is one, but goodness knows where I got it from, it must have been here for at least 15 yrs now. I have looked it up and can’t find it, I must have a look to see if our local garden centre has it. Failing that I could do a cutting for you if you would like one.
Like everyone else I’m admiring your Heucheras. you have some really beautiful ones. Berry Smoothie mentioned above also sounds amazing. A few more colours are being sold here now by specialist nurseries but that means going to plants fairs which are usually quite depressing for the lack of good plants to buy – still my garden is full, so I shouldn’t be buying more plants anyway. I’m so glad you’re able to do a bit more in the garden this year, but don’t overdo it!
Heucheras have improved so much lately Christina, with all the work being done by plant breeders here and in the USA. I would imagine that it won’t be long before you can get one in any colour you desire!
Today was so hot ( for us) I had to stop work this afternoon, good excuse to watch Wimbledon!,so this evening I have just finished all that I should have done earlier, so much nicer when the sun is going down.
Pauline, so glad you’re able to spend more time in the garden–good therapy. I too admire the heucheras–love the deep purple, pink spotted one. Susie
It is good therapy Susie, I love being out there, either working or sitting amongst the flowers! At the moment, the pink spotted purple heuchera is my favourite but for how long, I don’t know!
The pictures of your garden are wonderful and oh so enjoyable. It has to be an amazing space to sit and just feel the healing nature of the environment you have created.
Thank you Charlie, If I feel I can’t work in the garden, I have quite a few sitting places in the garden where I can just sit and watch the wildlife, enjoy the perfume of the flowers and listen to the birdsong, its lovely!
Lovely photos of your garden. I’m glad you’re now able to spend more time gardening, now. It sounds as though your many day lilies will look spectacular and I do love Campanulas.
Wendy, the day lilies have started opening with Canadian Border Patrol, a lovely cream one with a purple centre, the others will be following soon, so I will do a post about them later. I’m happiest when in the garden and it’s lovely that we now have 3/4 back to how it should be. We have a big family “do” at the end of the month so hopefully it will all be ok by then!
I am sooo behind with weeding too, really I don’t know if I’ll ever catch up! I’m glad your medications are working now, and I guess your garden is glad too!
That red flowered freesia looks great amongst the golden santolina, I’ve never seen a golden santolina before I like it!
Very very good job with the slope, I like all the different type of foliage you put in there!
Alberto, I think my plants are very pleased indeed, they have room to breathe now!
Other people are saying too that they haven’t heard of a golden santolina, I’ve tried looking it up but can’t find it either,maybe I will have to take lots of cuttings or maybe it isn’t a santolina?!
You have some wonderful combinations! Your garden looks well loved. I like how you turned an old pond into an alpine scree. Like other commenters, I also admire your heucheras and hostas, and your freesias look perfect nestled in their bed of golden santolina.
Thanks Deb, the garden certainly is loved by me and I’m sure by the undergardener, but he won’t admit it! All the new plants seem to have settled in well and are now growing away nicely.