We have had lots more hot sunshine during the week with just the odd little shower, I think it has rained a couple of times during the night, but nowhere near enough, we need more, lots more rain! I think next week looks more promising. In the meantime I’ve been deadheading and cutting off lots of weeds so they don’t go to seed, I will have to weed them out later when the soil is softer after the proper rain comes. I am also inundated with baby birds, they are eating me out of house and home, I am having to fill the feeders far more often at the moment, especially the feeder with the peanuts, the baby woodpecker is eating most of those!
I was spoilt for choice with my six for this week, so much is flowering at the moment. As the roses are providing most of the colour at the moment, I’ll start with a few of those.
No 1
The red rose of Lancashire, which I always think is more pink than red! Covered in blooms at the moment, reminding me of home.
Rosa Ballerina doing her stuff in the front garden, looking very pretty.
Rosa Charlotte, a David Austin rose. This has always been a good rose, most of them are at least 25 yrs old and still going strong.
No 2.
I showed you a photo of the climber Wedding Day last week, this is where it has finally reached the top of the ash tree, about 100ft from where it started!
This is rosa Mulligani up the dead oak in the centre of the garden. The dead oak is where I see and hear the Tawny owl calling in the winter and also where the Great spotted woodpecker drums in the spring.
The whole rose flowers for about a month and the dead tree looks every so pretty.
No 3
Clematis Durandii, an herbacious clematis is keeping company with one of my roses. I thought I had lost it, but thank goodness it has returned!
Clematis Prince Charles is flowering over by the huge gas tank, maybe I ought to move him now that he is King!
Clematis Pagoda is covered with flowers, I think so many plants are flowering as never before, this has so many nodding little flowers.
no 4.
It is now time for the day lilies, usually I think of these as flowers for July, but they are all starting to flower now. Hemerocallis Moonlight Masquerade is so beautiful and a bit different from most of my others.
Hemerocallis Stafford just gets better and better each year. Considering it spends the winter now under water because of flooding problems, I am amazed!
A lovely dark purple day lily, name lost in the mist of time I’m afraid, but nice even so.
no 5
Topiary has been getting its summer haircut, I like the contrast of the Ginger Jar with the meadow in front and Stipa gigantea alongside. I clipped this one and the cubes up the driveway but am leaving all the box balls to my gardener!
Lots of butterflies are coming to the meadow area, this is Meadow Brown and is enjoying the flower of the pig nut which has multiplied amazingly. this year.
The butterflies certainly know where to come for their daily nectar, loads of Pig Nut flowers to choose from!
No 6
Baby robin is getting used to coming to the feeders now and isn’t relying on its parents to feed it any more.
For a long time the baby Great Spotted Woodpecker was expecting its parents to feed it bits from the peanut feeder…..
…….but it now has the hang of it and helps itself. The peanuts used to last about a week, but now they are gone in 2 days!
There we have my offering for this week, I wonder what next week will bring. Hopefully we will have had some decent rain by then and I won’t be having to carry cans of water round the garden. Happy gardening everyone!
Thanks go to Jim at Garden Ruminations for hosting, do pay him a visit to see other gardens round the world.
Nice choice of daylilies! Especially colours that I don’t have (yet ) : I only have orange and yellow ones here.
Thanks Fred, there are some lovely new daylily varieties on the market, I must buy more as they seem to like my soil!
Lovely photos, especially the baby birds. Your day lilies are much further on than mine.
Thanks Helen, the baby robins are very cute aren’t they. I don’t think I’ve ever had day lilies this early before, usually July.
Wonderful post Pauline. I’m so inspired by your garden choices. The wildlife photos are marvelous. You’re kind to keep the creatures well fed.
I feel so sorry for Mrs blackbird Susie, trying to feed her young when the soil is so hard and the worms and insects have disappeared. Hopefully once the proper rain arrives all will be well and I needn’t feed so much.
I think nearly all of our garden birds go out into the countryside to nest so we’re seeing far fewer than normal on the feeder. I don’t blame them for wanting to get away from all the cats around here. Lovely to have a woodpecker, a very rare visitor in our garden; about twice in 30 years.
My next door neighbour has 4 cats Jim, but they know they aren’t welcome! I found one yesterday sitting under the bird feeders, it was soon chased away. Woodpeckers are frequent visitors each day, they certainly love peanuts in preference to all the other food.I equate peanuts with McDonalds and mealworms and sunflower hearts with fine dining!
What a great selection. I love the Red rose of Lancashire and your great selection of day lilies. I’ve got some very big Ash trees and now I’m tempted to try them with a rose or two. That looks wonderful/
Oh yes Catharine, you get some climbing roses up your big old trees, they give a wonderful effect, just like a waterfall of blossom!
Lovely photos….R. Wedding day is really amazing Pauline, it seems to know no limitations! Love that baby Robin.
I’m so glad I planted Wedding Day all those years ago Denise, it has been wonderful watching it get higher each year.
You have a lot of visitors to your garden. The young robin is especially cute. I think I need to get some day lilies – such lovely colours.
There are times Graeme when it seems like Picadilly Circus at the bird feeders, especially at the moment with so many offspring. I find that day lilies provide lots of colour for a good month and when the plants have settled in and grown they have so many flowers that you don’t notice they only flower for a day!
How lovely that you are feeding so many beautiful babies, just loving the photos. How lucky you are having woodpeckers, I know they’re around here but rarely see them. Yes, here’s to more of the wet stuff. Loving all your roses, especially Rosa Charlotte. Glad your clematis returned.xxx
The babies are eating me out of house and home Dina, I’m having to fill the feeders far more often now. I think poor Mrs Blackbird is on to her next brood! The woodpeckers drum and feed on the dead oak which is in the middle of the garden, I think they have their nests here too, they are at the feeders loads of times each day.
Roses have been fantastic this year, best year ever!x