Well finally summer arrived albeit it at the last moment in July and sadly if the forecasts for the coming week are to be believed it may be leaving us before it really started. The never-ending rain of June and part of July has meant lots of lush growth so the garden is somewhat overgrown – well that’s my excuse although I suspect it was due for thinning in places.
We have had the outside of the house painted over the last week which has been quite challenging due to the patio having to be cleared of all the pots, seed trays etc etc so you may see the odd random tray of seedlings in the photos in slightly unlikely places. The photo above shows the slope from the bog garden looking across to the daisy border which isn’t due to peak until September. I am pleased with the fullness of the border but need to do some editing just to give the various ‘daisies’ more room.
I have been showing you one of the patio borders each month and here it is again. The emphasis of this border is foliage rather than flower colour although there are flowers throughout the year from time to time. I need to move the Actea to the right a tad to fill the gap left by an obelisk I removed last Autumn and also rescue the Japanese Painted Fern from under the Kirengeshoma palmata.
From the other end of the border. There is a winter jasmine along the wall which is going mad and swamping other plants so I need to think about how to deal with that. Maybe move it but if I do you can guarantee it will die!
The ‘Cottage Garden’ border or what I should call the top of the wall border is Ok but is at that lull before late summer. I have focussed on including lots of early summer plants but not so much on late summer and I am thinking that may have been an oversight. The salvias are looking fab and there is a lobelia tupa coming on so I think in a couple of weeks it will lift but if not I will have to make a note to myself to include maybe some annuals for late summer colour next year.
The corner border, for want of another name, has been completely swamped by the achillea. I think Christina is right and the soil is too rich for them so will probably move them to the front garden as part of the redesign.
So those are some views of the garden at the end of what was essentially and soggy and cold July – who knows what the next month will bring. If you would like to join in with this meme you are very welcome and can use it however you like. Just leave a link to your post in the comments box so we can all see what is happening in your garden.
looks as if you’ve solved all your garden problems – lush and lovely now!
It all looks very lush, particularly the various foliage which has worked so well. What is the name of the tall, lilac flower in the last but one photograph?
Hi Alison – its salvia sclarea turkestanica
Yvonne – NZ – How lush and gorgeous – hard to remember your early ‘empty’ photos!! Nature amazing!
Yvonne – NZ – Me again – my monthly update. A few daffs out – including little tete-a-tete. Such cheery splases of yellow – one dutch iris – primulas etc. Early gladi – Gave a good dose of sheep poos and citrus food other day as rain forecast (did arrive!) Gave my ‘world famous in Mt Eden’ lemon even more fert. Has 100+ lemons on!! Just a metre high and a couple of metres wide! Making old fashinoned lemon pud tonight. A friend coming for a haircut so we will indulge in lemon. Made 2 lots of lemon curd so far – good for birthday gifts. The Taiwanese cherries on roadside have finally lost all their leaves and are showing pink. The ones around mountain by Eden Gardens will be out in full and the tuis will be back. I will go and check them in next day or so. Bleak and cold and rain today so a good day to watch Olympics that we have recorded!!
Your garden is looking really good, its clearly enjoying the rain and sun. My EoMR is here http://ozhene.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/end-of-month-review-july-2012.html
Enjoyed seeing your lovely gardens and reading your assessment of each.
Your garden is looking good. There has been an upside to the rain – lush growth. Unfortunately this only emphasises how, in my garden, there is now zero space for any new plants. Not good for a gardener who relies on 5 square centimetres of bare soil as an excuse to visit a nursery
My post is now up at:
http://greenforks.com/2012/07/end-of-the-month-view-july-2012/
Looking good! Here’s hoping for some more sunshine so we can enjoy being outside. Achillea is falling all over one of my borders too but it’s such a cheerful flower.
http://woodlousehouse.blogspot.co.uk/
Wow, love all your textures this month. With this extreme drought I am thinking of the future of my beds and adding more foliage and a bit less tender perennials. Here is my month review… Enjoy!
http://creativecountrymom.blogspot.com/2012/07/hello-im-back.html
Your garden is soooooo lush, and I mean that in a South Walian, gavin-and-stacey way as well as literally… I had a Salvia sclarea turkestanica too (hooray – ‘I’ve got one of those’) but it didn’t work. Became a bit of a thug and came out. How do you keep yours so well behaved?
My EOMV post is here: http://beangenie.wordpress.com/ , and thanks for hosting!
Pingback: End of Month View: July 2012 « Hurtled to 60 and Now Beyond…
It is certainly looking healthy and lush Helen. The weather this year has brought another element to the gardens this year. Here is my contribution to the EOMV meme http://hurtlingtowards60.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/end-of-month-view-july-2012/
Pingback: July Review « Hillwards
I am loving all the green lush plants compared to my browning plants…I will link in Monday. I am not sure my late summer plants will be much of a show except for the rudbeckia.
Here is my post…sorry it is a bit late
http://gardenseyeview.com/2012/08/06/gardens-eye-journal-august-2012/
Your beds look so lush. My beds are not as lush this year because we have had such dry and hot weather and very little rain. I suppose I can look forward to next year and just enjoy what this year has to offer. Thank you for hosting.
http://www.thesagebutterfly.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-garden-notebook-august-2012.html
You must be really pleased with the patio border, the tapestry of textures and colours looks wonderful. The salvias are stunning, one of my many favourites this month.
Here’s the end of month view from our garden:
http://hillwards.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/july-review/
Helen your garden does look lush and not full of weeds which hapens to me with lots of rain, your cottage border looks lovely I too like the salvia and the large clump of daisies next to it, the rest of your garden is looking good,
my post is published now sorry to be a bit late and thanks for hosting EoMV, Frances
http://islandthreads.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/eomv-and-best-and-worst-for-july/
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Wow, what lush foliage you have! Quite a difference from what we in the United States have had most of the summer. My own garden is going through a mid-summer lull, too, and I’ve been pondering how to make it better next year. I didn’t write it specifically as an end of month wrap-up, but that’s sort of how a post I wrote yesterday reads. Then I read about your End of Month View meme on The Sage Butterfly, and thought I would join in. Here’s the link to my post: http://cosmosandcleome.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/garden-design-on-my-mind/
It’s amazing just how much growth there has been this year Helen as a result of all of the wet stuff. Your patio border looks positively jungle like. That hosta is faring amazingly well considering the amount of snails and slugs that have been partying. My EOMV post is here : http://www.greentapestry.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/end-of-month-view-july-2012.html
Hi Helen, sorry I haven’t got myself together to join in this month, the first time for ages. My garden is just too depressingly hot to want to be out in it. Will try harder next month. Meanwhile with all the rain your garden is looking fabulous. I like fullness! I especially like the patio foliage bed, it is so cool and lush, something I’m dreaming of right now. Great show. Thanks for the mention. Christina
I agree about the patio border – looks fantastic! The varying forms of the foliage are just my cup of tea! I nearly missed last month so here is my attempt at a catch up http://welshhillsagain.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/end-of-month-views-for-june-and-july.html#comment-form