Yes, we had rain, lovely gentle rain, on Wednesday. It rained all morning but then stopped at lunch time and then we had sunshine for the rest of the day.We had more rain last night and a lot more is forecast for this weekend so the garden will be very happy. Not so happy is me when the gardener rings Wednesday lunchtime to tell me he won’t be coming because of the rain, 5 minutes later it stopped! I managed to do gardening in the afternoon so I’m sure he could have managed too. Anyway, enough moaning, on with this weeks six………….
Clematis Romantica on the pergola at the top of the garden, this was new last year but I think it is going to be a good one.
So many roses to choose from at the moment, this one is Geoff Hamilton in the bed round the dead oak.
Another lovely rose is Abraham Darby which is in the front garden. This is one of the first roses I planted almost 30 yrs ago, it is still going strong.
It is also rhododendron time, I’m not used to the roses flowering before the rhodos, but there you are, it is nature that decides. This is a very pale lilac coloured one which contrasts nicely with the cotinus beside it.
Rhododendron Sappho, in the back corner of the garden, is getting rather large, I might have to move something that is in front of it, or rather , someone else will have to move something!
Last autumn the gardener sprinkled seed of Yellow Rattle that he collected from one of his other gardens, I hope he asked permission! A few weeks ago I spotted an unusual leaf formation in my mini meadow and it has turned out to be the said Yellow Rattle. I now have 9 plants that have popped up so hopefully they are doing their work of weakening the grass!
Hosta sieboldiana Elegans in the back border, this is huge now, almost 6 ft across!
My favourite hosta, Sagae, another large one also in the back border, with contrasting foliage around it. Blackbirds, thrushes and hedgehog are doing their work of clearing the slugs and snails from around my hostas.
Clematis montana which I planted up an ash tree in the back garden to mark my son’s wedding, it has spread somewhat!
This part of the clematis has jumped over to the top of one of my Acers and is now tumbling down, how much further will it spread?!
A closeup of the flowers, very pretty. When these flowers are over, in a few weeks, the rose Wedding Day which is up the same Ash tree , planted for my daughter’s wedding, will take over, making the tree look beautiful for another month.
There we have my six this week, hope you’ve enjoyed them. To see more gardens, please visit Jim at Garden Ruminations where there will be lots more to interest you.
Such pretty Rhododendrons and of course I loves the roses.
Thanks Rosie, its such a wonderful time of year when everything starts flowering at the same time!
Lovely clematis, even if montanas do go quite mad. I also have Wedding Day, which is just perfect.
I’m wondering Lesley, if the clematis will swing over to the oak tree which is next to the acer, and start climbing that!
Gosh, I wonder how far the white Clematis montana could travel?! It looks a show. A lovely selection of roses.
Who knows Graeme, maybe it will climb the oak next to the acer, it doesn’t have far to leap! I’m enjoying it while it lasts.
I was admiring the picture of the first hosta but wow – nearly six feet across! It’s hard to judge the scale in photographs.
The clematis flowers are so pretty.
It is rather large now Helen. A shrub died in the back border and the large hosta was by the front door but got eaten to death by slugs and snails every year, so I decided to move it. Since it has been in the back with room around it for my helpers to find the slugs and snails, it has been almost hole free!
A great choice this week with pretty roses and a stunning rhododendron ( sapho)
I notice no holes on the hostas: darker leaveshave helped
I do rather like Sappho too Fred, wish I realised how big it was going to grow when I planted it all those years ago! I get my hostas from a specialist nursery and they tell us if the leaves are thick and will withstand slugs and snails, so far so good!
Your slug removers are very efficient, how lovely to have hostas looking so pristine. Your roses and rhodies are gorgeous and that clematis is amazing
I have them well trained Liz, they’re doing a good job! The clematis just keeps on getting better each year, I’m waiting for it to swing into the oak next to the Acer!
I’m so glad so many folks had welcome rain this week. We did, too, and there’s more in the forecast. Your plants look happy and healthy. ‘Abraham Darby’ is magical!
We certainly needed our rain Beth, not something we can normally say! I love it when all the roses start, so pretty and colourful.
Yes, it has been strange to see rhododendrons and roses at the same time here too. You must be be thrilled with your rain, and here I am hoping for some showers today, even if it stops me from getting on with weeding and sweeping the paths! Those hostas look wonderful!