My garden and I are feeling the same, hot, tired and wilting in all this heat, hoping that we can have some rain soon, just at night time of course! It’s well over 4 weeks now since we had any rain , all my water buts are nearly empty, even my huge one which holds 400 gallons! The flowers are going over so quickly and the colours fade in such hot sunshine, we are just not used to it here in England. One area that is carrying on as usual is the bog garden, obviously the plants are finding plenty of moisture further down in the soil. These are Primula florindae Coppertones.
These are P.florindae, seedlings that I sowed last year, another year and they should all be flowering making a drift of yellow.
Iris ensata, a Japanese iris which thankfully likes wet soil so is happy in the boggy area.
Primula vialii opening up its two tone little pokers.
The Astilbes throughout the garden are starting to open in various colours, red, pink and white.
Zantedeschia aethiopica is new to the bog this year, this is now the third flower that has opened so it must be happy where I have put it.
Rosa Mulligani is climbing up the dead oak and is heading for the top, not quite there yet. The waterfall of white flowers is amazing for about a month, then it just returns to clothing the dead branches with its foliage.
Rosa Bonica started flowering in June and will carry on non stop until November. It is a super rose, no blackspot but unfortunately no perfume either, can’t have everything!
This is a tiny rose which I planted on the alpine scree, otherwise it would have been lost in the garden amongst all the beefy plants that I have. The whole bush is only about 6 inches high and was given to me by a friend, Angela, about 10yrs ago. It gets pruned the same as all the other roses but with a tiny pair of scissors instead of secateurs.
All the David Austin roses are flowering at the moment, with all the heat, the flowers don’t last very long and the colour fades quickly but the perfume seems extra strong, especially in the morning and evening.
Rosa glauca still has plenty of small flowers, but some of the early ones have turned to hips already, it doesn’t take them long to change.
Hemerocallis or day lily, are getting into their stride now, this one is Stafford, looking a bit pink, not looking its usual deep red/purple. This was bought because that is where my parents used to live.
A very small hemerocallis and I can’t remember it’s name, I bought it because I liked it! The clump is big enough to split so I think half can come into the sunset border.
This day lily is called Moonlight, I’m not really sure how it got its name, but then some names amaze me because they are so outrageous!
Forming a nice little cushion on the scree is a golden leaved Campanula, but I spy a weed next to it that I hadn’t noticed when I took the photo. By the time anyone reads this, it will have been removed!
Regale lilies are still flowering, just a few buds left now, they have certainly filled different parts of the garden with their perfume for a long time now. I’ve lost count of how many lily beetles I have caught and stamped on, but patrolling each morning has been worth it, there have been so many.
Acanthus mollis has never put up so many flower spikes before, but look at the foliage, it doesn’t like the heat, all the leaves are collapsing in a heap and lately they haven’t even recovered by next morning. It can cope in the sun if the temperature is a lot lower, but at the moment it is struggling.
The Mimulus by the pond has gone mad, there is far too much of it, but the flowers look so cheerful, I will let it stay while it is flowering, then at least half must go.
All the viticella clematis are now starting to flower, although some people say that Clematis Pagoda belongs in the texensis group, whichever group it belongs to, it looks very pretty clothing an obelisk.
Escaping from its obelisk is C.Etoille Violette, now making a bid to climb the dead oak!
Needing a helping hand as it is an herbacious clematis is Clematis durandii, this would be quite happy just flopping on the ground but it shares its support with a peach coloured rose which gives it the extra support that it needs.
The poppies from the last post are still opening more flowers, some days more pink are there, some days more mauve, no two days are the same. No, that is not rain on the petals, I wish it were, it’s water from when hubby was watering the fruit bushes at the back.
I think this is the last Meconopsis flower for this year, Meconopsis betonicifolia so there will be no more kingfisher blue until next year, shame!
A lovely yellow foxglove, Digitalis grandiflora, I must make more of this by sowing some seed this year, such a gentle yellow which shines out from the shade.
All the alliums have done really well this year, they have loved all the heat and the lack of rain! Globemaster have been fantastic but are just now starting to go over, this is A. Christophii in the bee and butterfly border in the front.
Last but definitely not least is this little gem which must have blown in on the breeze. At the back of one of my shady borders when I was having a blitz on the weeds, I just managed to stop myself in time from grabbing what I think is a common spotted orchid. These have never appeared before and I don’t know if they ever will again, I will just enjoy it while I can.
Many thanks must go to Carol at May Dreams Garden for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day once again, do pop over to see which flowers from around the world, are flowering at the moment.
Here it is also very dry, and we have had strong winds drying out the soil even more.
My daylilies are also starting to bloom, and they look good this year. My lillium regale is in the terrace and is filling the air with sweet perfume. This year i haven´t seen many lily beetles.
I would also appreciate some rain at night.
Your yellow foxglove is nice.
Hi Gitte, we seem to be having extremes of weather again, last year it was non stop rain! Plants are having to cope as best they can but everywhere is looking so dry. The benefit of being on heavy clay means that there is still some moisture in the soil thank goodness and the flowers are opening at usual.
I sympathize with you over your hot, dry conditions, though you still have some wonderful blooms. So far we have had plenty of rain, but every year we hope we won’t have one of those dreadful summer droughts that threaten to kill all but the toughest natives. It is always interesting to see which plants do the best under the tough conditions. Your primulas are delightful. I wish I had a bog!
Deb, the bog is the best bit at the moment, it looks so fresh and green compared to the rest of the garden. I’m sure the rest will cope, we are on very heavy clay, it’s just that the plants don’t look bright and perky any more!
My florindae are flopping badly in the sun….yours look fine, though. I was going to ask how they were doing. Cooler weather here today – so it may reach you eventually. Lots of those spotted orchis grow here – again, they like it damp. But if they have started seeding themselves into your garden, they will probably continue…
My boggy bit Kininvie, is in shade for most of the day, just 7am to 10am then 7pm till 8pm is the only sun they see.Thank goodness the underground stream seems to still be flowing! I was thrilled to find the little orchid, it has put itself at what I call the dry end of the bog, hopefully the breeze (when we have some) will blow any seed to the wetter part. Please send some cooler weather down to us, we are wilting along with the plants in the sun!!
I love the thought of you leaving the blog to rush out and pull a weed. I often see something in a photo I didn’t notice before…one on my GBBD post shows a red extension cord going to a small fountain, but I was too lazy to go back out to cover the cord and take another photo. The golden leaved Campanula is an eye catcher…and I love the primula too. I could have grown them this year, but don’t usually have enough moisture.
Yes Marian, the weed has gone, it is no more! The bog garden, where the primulas are is the only bit in the garden where the plants are looking lush and green at the moment. This time last year there were floods everywhere in the UK, what a difference this year, we are just not used to such heat lasting for such a long time, neither are our plants! I’ll now go and see if I can see your red extension lead!
We certainly are having a great summer and like some of your plants mine are struggling in these far from usual conditions!
You have some beautiful plants Pauline – Primula florindae is new to my garden this year and I’m very pleased with it. I’ve been keeping on top of watering just in case!!
I do hope the little orchid sets it’s seed for you and becomes a more permanent resident in your garden.
Angie, my garden and I are struggling in this heat, it has been going on for so long now without any rain here for some time. Working in the middle of the day hasn’t been possible for a while, early morning and evening are now the times I venture out.
So glad you’re enjoying your florindae, they are lovely plants, have you discovered their delicate perfume yet?
You have so many beautiful flowers in your garden! I love the acanthus and wish it would last more than a couple seasons for me. The primula are very pretty – again, they are not that happy around my pond, but I love to see others growing them so beautifully!
Thanks Jayne, the plants are flowering their socks off but the flowers don’t last very long in the heat that we’re all having at the moment in the UK. The Acanthus have been here now for about 10ys and are usually very happy where I’ve planted them, this year though, they are just wilting in the sunshine. Is the soil round your pond naturally wet, or is it sunny? Maybe they might be happier in the shade if the soil isn’t moist, we are lucky with the underground stream which keeps the soil nice and moist all summer, mind you it floods in the winter!
I had no idea England was experiencing a hot, dry summer this year. Another bonus of reading garden blogs. You have so many wonderful plants (meconopsis!) not to mention a bog garden! I really should make a little bog garden to tide me through July, something moist and lush to admire, even if in miniature. Love the yellow foxglove. Hope you get a respite from the heat and a couple good downpours soon.
Lovely to hear from you Denise, yes, England does occasionally have a heat wave, not very often I admit, we’re now missing our usual rain! We are lucky to have an underground stream which means the soil in one part of the garden never dries out, it was the obvious place to make a bog garden. The weather forecasters are saying that there is no sign of the temperatures coming down for at least a week, no rain on the horizon!
I do think that English plants grow ‘knowing’ that they will receive water and therefore need it! 4 weeks is the norm without water here, in fact it is usually 8 to 10 weeks without. Notthis year though so all my roses are flowering prolifically again and everything is flowering for longer. I am so enjoying the garden this year. As always you some some wonderful plants, Pauline. I’m sure it will rain soon.
I’m so glad Christina, that you’re not having the heatwave that you had last year and that your garden has responded to the rain you have had. What a contrast we are having this year, last year it was non stop rain and floods everywhere, this year the heat is beginning to be a problem for everyone. No rain in the forecast for at least another week but only the essentials are being watered, the rest just have to cope.
Hi,
Oooh, I like your Clematis’, lots of pretty. And you even still have some Meconopsis!
Lovely bloom day, hard to believe it’s the middle of July. So many plans for this year and so far few of them achieved… Oh well, always next year 🙂
Hi Liz, just the one flower left on the Meconopsis, almost over for another year, shame! This year is just flying by, with all this heat, the flowers bloom but then are over so quickly, I just wish everything will slow down, I seem to spend my days deadheading.
I see you have used your lovely poppies photo for your header! So many lovely things in flower in your garden at the moment and it is interesting to see which are struggling to cope with the heat. Do you water generally, or just specific plants? This is the first year in a long time I have allowed myself to use tap water for some of my newer plantings as most butts are virtually empty – some clematis have completely dropped and some of the roses were not looking happy today when we got back from our jaunt. Oh, and this wehn you would be watering your rhododendrons to encourage flowers next year? Do you know the name of your tiny rose? It sounds delightful, a real miniature. Is this a good year for hemerocallis do you think, as I have some that have done nothing before but this year have put on a spurt and are about to flower?
Hi Cathy, no I don’t water generally, just the plants that have been planted recently and unfortunately that is rather a lot! We only use water from the water butts as we are on a water meter and the garden is so large it would cost a fortune to water it from a tap!! The water butts are almost empty, I’m sure they will be by the end of this week, so please can we have some rain soon, just at night of course!
Yes, this is when rhododendron and camellia start dropping their flower buds for next year, we do fling the odd bucket of water on them and on the hydrangeas because they are looking very miserable.
Sorry, I don’t know the name of the rose, it was quite a long time ago when it was given to me, before I ever thought of writing about my plants! Hemerocallis are doing well here too, the first flowers have started opening, they seem to be coping well with the heat, thank goodness.
I shall include you in my rain dance tomorrow Pauline! We’ve had warm winds, high temperatures and no rain for two weeks… Love the little orchid – a nice surprise! 😀
Thank you so much Cathy, we need it, hope we both have some rain soon. The orchid was a lovely surprise, of course I’m hoping it will spread around in the area where it is, I’ll have to be very careful when weeding next year!
Everything is looking tired in my garden, too, in this heat – even though, like you, I’m watering lots. But you do have some lovely flowers in bloom at the moment, I love the astilbes and the roses are beautiful. And I also love the orchid; I’d be thrilled to discover one in my garden (although it’s very unlikely here).
Hi Wendy,there doesn’t seem to be an end to the hot spell in the near future, I think I’ll be watering for some time to come. Flowers are still opening but they don’t last very long unfortunately. The astilbes in the bog garden are doing very well, others are starting to suffer, so will have to start watering those. We were amazed when we found the little orchid – where did it come from – the seed must have blown in on the breeze – we hope it’s going to stay!
Interesting to read about the acanthus because I’d been on the lookout for some. I’ll probably still risk it.
The clematis are looking superb.
But what really excites me is the Digitalis. I planted some from seed and after two years of waiting I now have flower spikes! Having seen yours, can’t wait for them to open.
Jessica, the acanthus is fine in a normal summer, I suppose I should be watering it, but once I start, I will have to carry on and there are other plants that are more important, I’m sure it will survive. Maybe this will curb its wandering tendencies, it was starting to spread too far. I like the little yellow digitalis too, I must save seed to try and make more, I was hoping it would do it by itself, but obviously it needs a helping hand!
As usual so many gorgeous flowers of the kinds that I like. I am so jealous of the wide range of primroses that you can grow, mine are long gone.
Thank you Carolyn, I’m enjoying the candelabra primulas, more and more keep opening and that area is still very colourful. The heat we are experiencing now has the rest of the garden looking very tired, but the bog garden still looks very fresh, we are certainly lucky to have an underground stream.
Loving your header photo, it’s gorgeous. I have my last photo shoot on Monday and whilst I’m loving the heat and sun you’re right about plants going over quickly. I can’t believe that 10 days ago we were all wondering if we would ever get a summer. I can’t keep up with the dead heading and my fruit bushes have gone crazy. Everything is ripening so fast this year. It is lovely though and bliss to be able to eat outside on an evening. How brilliant to have your own native orchid. I think some of them set seed very easily so fingers crossed you may well have a little colony of them soon.
So glad you like the header WW, the poppies are almost over now unfortunately, but at least I have a record of natures surprise! We have had the heat since the end of June down here and I am just melting! Dead heading is almost a daily operation instead of weekly and the trees are beginning to look stressed. The birches are losing their leaves and other have autumn tints already! I think seeing as the orchid arrived all by itself, I will leave well alone and leave it to set it’s seed by itself and just hope that it increases.
Hope your plants look bright and perky for their last photo shoot, before they become famous!
Your garden is always such an inspiration Pauline. Hope you get relief from the hot, dry weather soon. It is disappointing to see flowers fade too quickly because of heat and lack of rain. This year has been very wet and I’ve been aware how much longer lasting the blooms are. (That said, we’ve been in a severe heat wave the last several days and expected to last a few more.) Iris ensata is looking very pretty as are the many lilies.
Susie
No rain on the horizon Susie, “they” say we will have another week of our unexpected heat. Last year when it was so wet and the country had floods everywhere, the foliage in the garden looked ever so lush and healthy, now it is just brown and droopy! Only the essentials are getting watered as we are on a water meter and have to pay for every drop. There is still a bit of water left in my huge water butt, but I think that will only last a week at the most.
Another Iris ensata has opened here, this time a white one which I bought last year, this was planted in the bog garden so is looking very happy as this is the one area that never dries out!
Some beautiful July blooms Pauline. Hope that we get some relief this week Pauline in the shape of some much needed wet stuff. Have just returned from holiday and amazed/dismayed to see what has flowered/already gone over in our absence. My rosa glauca is all hips – not a single flower left 🙁 Have never seen as many lily beetles as I have done this year. The flowers and perfume make all the squidging worthwhile though.
Thank you Anna, I’m hoping for rain overnight tonight, the garden is so dry, huge cracks are appearing. All the roses are going over so quickly and some of the other flowers too.Squidging lily beetles has become a daily activity and yes, it is definitely worth it.
I like the Primula florindae Coppertones and the Primula vialii. I am still learning about primula and didn’t know that they bloomed this late in the season. I added a Primula vialii this spring and you should see the poor thing. It got dry and I was busy and didn’t notice. Now it is a sad heap of wilted leaves.
You have a nice assortment of lilies, clematis and roses Pauline. I keep seeing Rosa glauca on blogs and would love to get one.
Hi Jennifer, the primulas are coming to an end now, different ones flower at different times so you can prolong the season quite a bit. Let’s hope your primula vialii recovers for next year or do you think it is gone for good, I hope not!
So many pretty flowers in your garden, Pauline! I love seeing them all.
I was feeling wilted with the heat as well, but we have had a serious cool down today: I was wearing a sweatshirt outside while cutting my hemerocallis down this afternoon. Almost chilly! Hope you get a reprieve soon.
Thank goodness Julie, the high heat has stopped for now, we have had a bit of rain, overnight as requested and the temperature for the last couple of days is much more as it should be for this time of year. Plants that were drooping are looking so much better and I have so much more energy now that it is cooler!