July in full bloom

This was the picture in late July with the herbaceous borders at their peak.  Things are looking a little more ragged now a month later, and after a fortnight's neglect whilst on holiday!

The garden in June

These new borders are filling out, but this photo hides a multitude of sins behind, where the ground is still not prepared for the various trees and hydrangeas I have planned for this end of the garden.  Here we have the very young betula jacquemontii guarding the entrance to this pathway down the garden, melissa officinalis (lemon balm to you and I) frothing beneath, paeonia delavayi lutea (tree peony) and stachys byzantia (lamb's ear) to the left, crocosmia lucifer behind and nepeta 'walkers low' to the right, and foxgloves popping up all over the place, curtesy of mother nature. 

 Leycesteria formosa or pheasant berry just coming into flower on the other side of the path.

I love this combination, the anchusa azurea with the lychnis coronaria or rose campion that I remember so well as a child.

 Self sown poppies and foxgloves play a big role in this garden

But the star of the show right now is the rose pergola which knocks the socks off anything else in the garden.  You only have to stand at our front gate to be hit with the stunning fragrance of these roses, and the display is simply breath-taking.  I am convinced that the pink rose to the left is New Dawn,  it was taken as a cutting from one in my parents' garden and they don't know the variety, but it is so similar in form and timing to the New Dawn I planted up the side of the out-house.  The creamy yellow one again was taken as a cutting from an unknown rose in my parents' garden, and the little pink rambler is Paul's Himilayan Musk.  The other rose on this pergola, which I must photograph and post before the season is out, is the bold and blowsy Compassion.  All completely contrasting roses, which strangely complement each other very well, all producing this great mass of fragrant blooms.  June is the very best of months for roses.

The wildflower meadow

This weekend has been spent smashing up hardcore, laying industrial sized paving slabs around the shed, shovelling earth from one area of the garden to another and ploughing up the wild end of the garden.  It's been a full on few days and both of us are now done in.  But it will all be worth it when this...

...becomes this

Tulips

The patio is breaking out in colour as the tulips emerge in an explosion of oranges, reds and purples.  I planted a mixture of earlies and lates, so I'm hoping this display will last a few weeks more yet. This is the best use I have ever made of my pots, definitely one to be repeated next year.

The woodland garden

Brimming with hellebores, leucojum aestivum, primroses, violets, pulmonaria and daffodils, the woodland garden is looking spectacular this year.  We will soon be in a position to split some of these plants and extend the woodland further down the garden.

Indian summer

The garden has continued to mature this year, and in late September is still looking good.  The new borders bloom renewed after the second chelsea chop of the year and the dilapidated greenhouse has finally gone.  September has been unseasonably warm, but now we have reached the autumn equinox, the temperature has cooled and autumn is most definitely in the air.  It may be the season of dread for many, marking the end of summer and the start of six months of short days and long dark cold nights, but for me its the best time of year, filled with the richest colours, clean and crisp air, and a lovely warm light.  We have chosen a few plants for their autumn and winter colour and are looking forward to seeing them make their mark on the garden.

Roses

The roses are in full bloom.  In fact, you only have to stand at the front gate to be hit with a delicious waft of Paul's Himalayan Musk.  Our garden is currently a feast for the senses, and the roses are taking centre stage.