HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON

Wishing all my friends a Happy Festive Season - no we haven't had snow, this is an old photo to get into the spirit but hoping we don't get any of this white stuff!

Just a project that kept Mike and I busy in the summer heat when gardening was not an option.

I think we enjoyed making it as much as our Granddaughter seems to be enjoying playing with it.

Just to show life isn't all about Gardening and Lyme Disease Advocacy.

2013 has been an eventful year for advocacy, research and awareness of Lyme Disease one day we will get better testing, diagnosis and treatment but meanwhile knowledge is important so we can protect ourselves and fight for treatment that helps us despite the ignorance of the science from our Health Authorities. See my other blog http://lookingatlyme.blogspot.co.uk/

Happy and Healthy 2014 to all.

COME INTO THE BACK GARDEN AND SEE THE FLOWERS IN EARLY JULY.

Out into the back garden through the hanging baskets in the porch.

A view along the terrace.

and a view back.

A backwards glance going down the first lot of steps

The Hosta bed before it was ravaged by slugs and snails

A glance up at the roses and clematis on the fence along the terrace.

A Carpinteria California shrub a lovely evergreen shrub for a sunny protected corner.

Rose Vielchenblau with the woods in the background a lovely borrowed landscape.

A shady corner at it's best in spring and early summer.

A new arch to replace the ones mike used to make now we are neither of us getting any younger plus stone dog in memory of Beth very much missing in the garden.

Cornelia rose and Francine Austin rose both flowering much better attached to stakes.

Most of the photos are a glance back because the sun is in front of me and so not so easy to get a good shot down the garden.

The Delphiniums have been lovely but some very very tall so must split and re plant next year. Broad beans in the right hand bed.

Runner and climbing beans just starting to get going, with Sweat Juliet rose on the left, so large we tie it into a tripod.

A view across the bottom of the garden with the Gleditsia on the right.

Rose Francis E Lester such a delight and making an even more beautiful display in my neighbours apple tree behind.

The lower arch fell apart but as the Gleditsia trees make their own arch we decided not to replace this one. Rambling Rector rose on the right.

Tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

My potting and nursery area.

Back up the garden to the middle steps with Rose Aviater Bleriot.

THE FRONT GARDEN IN EARLY JULY

Welcome to Joanne's Cottage garden

The tail end of the Delphinium and a nice collection of sticks for the Dahlia which are planted out when the Wallflower come out, this gives me chance to remove some of the ground elder we are plagued with. Perhaps I should make tea with it but have a vague recollection of trying this and finding it not to my palette.

Hanging baskets on the gateposts are already filling out nicely courtesy of Mike's constant watering.

Roses Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Jayne Austin both from David Austin roses probably 25 years since they were planted and every year they delight many of the people who pass by and can't resist leaning over the wall to smell their wonderful perfume.

Rose New Dawn growing to the left of the window and Clematis Vitichella Etoile Violette just starting to flower under the window it is now two weeks later and full of flower.

Clematis Madame Julia Correvon - I Googled to check on the spelling went to images Here for a bit of fun I added Joanne's Cottage garden to the Google search and came up with an interesting selection of photos from this blog here plus ones not from the blog too.

Isn't the internet fun as well as useful. 

A LATE POST FOR A LATE SPRING

These have been sitting in my camera since the beginning of June so I thought it was time I posted them. The remains of the winter pansies in the hanging baskets flowering more beautifully than they have all winter of course.

I have to post the Laburnum, as always it has been spectacular.

A few pots along the edge of the drive. The hostas were grown from seed from my Dad's garden.

Cornus Kousa Chinensis putting on a good display

It was worth re planting the Iris as they flowered well and joined with the Oriental Poppies in adding to the interest.

A collection of doorstep pots and plants. Sadly work on the house meant the Wisteria was pruned hard back and never recovered but a new Wisteria plant was added and is showing a bit of growth.

Clematis Elsa Spath growing up the corner of the house has been very luxuriant with flowers this year.

I can't have too much of the Laburnum especially as i miss the Wisteria so much the Aconites and Delphinium flowering. This Delphinium is nearly hidden in the laburnum tree. Next year I must remember to dig it up and see if it will split and re plant away from the tree.

Difficult to see but in the urn are some dwarf Snapdragons that flowered all winter and are still in flower as I write this, most definitely a plant to look out for. Unfortunately I haven't managed to get the seeds to germinate but will try again.

The trough is not doing so well this year - unfortunately we are having to keep a car on the drive but hopefully not for much longer - I hate cars in gardens looks so naff, not inverted snobbery just I like gardens for plants - the more the merrier in case you hadn't noticed.

Well that was a good start to my garden blogging for this year the hanging baskets on the gate posts have already got off to a good start pity about BT*. One day I will sort out some photo editing but all so much to do and available time diminishes as you get older.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show Infographic