Hot and Cool

Now I know I should be happy that we have got rid of the early soggy summer but a gentle gradual ease into this hot spell would have suited me better. With temperatures soaring into the 30s this week it’s been nigh on impossible to enjoy either working or sitting in the garden.

This morning, early, I had a wander round while the trees were still giving me some respite. I managed to take some pictures that hopefully do a little justice to the plants that are managing to cope with the heat.

Dicentra Scandens

Goose, Clematis Seedling, Galega

Primula Florindae

Thalictrum from Crug. BSWJ4946

Galega

Thalictrum Reniforme

Verbena bonariensis

Here in my White Garden the plants are starting to fill out. Now the garden is filled with the perfume of Primula Florindae and because of the surrounding trees some plants are reaching skyward, the Verbena bonariensis for instance is at least 2mts tall and still growing. The Dicentra I’ve had for years, grown from seed it can reach 3 to 4 mts in a season, it gets cut down by frost only to emerge again the following spring. All the Thalictrums have done really well this year, as we have also seen in other gardens too. It’s taken me along time to become happy with this area, as you know you win some and you lose some, so trying to concentrate on those that do survive and not be too ambitious I think  may be happier with it next year …we’ll see.

Hemerocallis ‘Blackbird’

Cautleya ‘Crug Canary’

Erysimum ‘Orange Bedder’

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Rustic Dwarfs’

Salvia

Lychnis Cognata

Crocosmia Lucifer

Lychnis Lipstick

Around the seating circle I have my ‘Hot Beds’, badly named when it’s so warm. Here I have grown lots of tall perennials, surrounding the area making it a little more secluded. The tall C’ Lucifer makes a great backdrop for all the various coloured foliage here, which includes Canna ‘Cleopatra’ sporting black and green striped leaves, the round jagged foliage of Ligularia hiding their red undersides. The Lychnis this year making a spectacular show, L’ Cognata looks illuminated amongst the leaves of a golden form of our native meadow sweet,Filipendula ulmaria and L’ Lipstick has the biggest flowers I’ve seen on a Lychnis. This space has lots more to come, planted for all year colour as we sit out here as often as possible even on mild days in winter.

With the school holidays upon us we will be spending one day a week entertaining our g/daughters, this should include trips out to parks and gardens along side visits to Grampsie’s allotment to pick the abundant produce he has been growing. This also includes climbing the apple tree to check if the apples are ripe. Then hopefully going home with a bag full of fresh produce……Happy holidays …Sue