HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A HEALTHY NEW YEAR

Just to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and hoping 2020 is kind to you all.

This photo was taken in 2009 of a lovely old oak tree on one of my walks. It's ten years since we had any snow worth taking photos of and long may that last.

HANGING BASKETS

Another year with glorious hanging baskets thanks to the diligence of Mike, watering daily and feeding once a week. Surfinia petunias are always very successful.

We lost our Laburnum tree last year and so for now an oleander in a pot has been replacing it just behind this gate post.

The left gate post behind which is our neighbours delightfull flint cottage. The dogs water bowl has daily visitors with their owners of course.

Right gate post and a glimpse of the woods beyond.

The left hanging basket by the front door in competition with a tree fern.

The right hanging basket by the front door is in rather a shady position but still puts on a good show and geranium in pots below.

This is the hanging basket at the back door ignore the water but and washing line.

This lovely fuschia came from one of last years hanging baskets and flowered in a pot right into the winter months in the back porch and after pruning has put on a glorious show again this year.

A glimpse across the front garden with my neighbours Acanthus taking back stage.

Sophie's Rose putting on a glorious display as always.

Crocosmia looking good just starting to flower as the Phlox comes into flower.

One of several hardy Fuchsia bushes in the foreground with some pink but mainly white phlox. Years ago I think all these phlox were mainly pink but seem to have changed to white these days.

Celebrating Agapanthus and a few late flowering Clematis

I grow Agapanthus in pots and overwinter in the cold greenhouse. They add colour around the garden mid summer onwards and are one of my favourite flowers yet I rarely photograph them and put on this blog.

This bed was covered in black weed suppressant a couple of years ago due to problems with bindweed and ground elder and my struggles to keep on top of it with my Lyme Disease. There is a mixture of plants in the ground and pots so it is well dressed despite the weed suppressant and much easier to manage.

Just one white Agapanthus to enjoy every time I walk down the garden.

The area on the left is where my Banksiae Banksiae grew for many years but sadly died this spring, with the help of a variety of pots it doesn't look too bad until the Trachelospermum Jasminoides covers the gap.

This lovely dark agapanthus is getting a bit bigger, I have it next to the greenhouse so I can keep a careful eye on it.

Vitechelli Royal Velours

Vitechelli Blue Belles with Clematis Marmori underneath.

Vitechelli Alba Luxurians

Comtesse de Bouchaud

Vitechelli Royal Velours

JUNE JOYS

Blush Rambler with Sanders White growing through the old apple tree in the borrowed landscape.

Noble Anthony has this strange luminescence in every photo that is not seen by the naked eye.

Mayor of Casterbridge is a vigorous rose with beautiful flowers on strong stems.

The perfume from Mayor of Casterbridge is superb.

Francis E Lester a beautiful Rambler with an abundance of flowers. I never manage to do justice with a photo though.

Sweet Juliet another strong grower hence the tripods in order to contain the plant in our small garden. 

Sweet Juliet perfume is also a delight on this repeat flowering rose.

More of Blush Rambler with Rosa Mundi below.

Rosa Gallica in the foreground. The catmint Six Hills Giant works so well in these beds with the roses far better than lavender with a flowering season for many months.

Just a few phone snaps of my June roses. I always do things the wrong way around and take the photo and then think about deadheading.

I am struggling again with my Lyme Disease especially my legs and have lost my supportive doctor. Damned the NHS for their ineptitude in treating this disease. But at least I am able to enjoy the fruits of my past labours and although difficulty now sourcing treatment I still respond well to Clarithromycin.

DELPHINIUM DREAMS

Don't you just adore Delphiniums? As always I jumble things together in my garden such that what is supposed to be my Delphinium bed has to compete with Sanders White rose on the trellis behind and two clematis, all obligingly flowering late so as not to spoil the delphinium show. On the left of this small border is a Gleditsia tree and on the right an old cooking apple tree with variegated box along the front. As always the dreaded columbine and ground elder invades everywhere but I can ignore that with these beauties flowering.
The Delphiniums were grown from seed many years ago, over the years cuttings and seeds grown from the original plants have helped fill in any gaps. Delphiniums are best grown together in their own bed so it is easier to protect from being devastated with slugs and snails.