JUNE JOYS AND SAVING BOX

Glorious June in the vegetable rose garden.

Delphiniums flowering nicely. All grown from seed and doing well over many years.

Up close and personal.

Joined by a clematis

Vying for space with a rose the story of my garden.

My love for Delphiniums started when I had an allotment in Merrow over 30 years ago. Next to my plot was Mr Hancock who grew prize Delphiniums on half a plot and Pinks on the other half.

Delphinium spires of delight made me think of reaching to heaven as I toiled my heavy clay plot of vegetables. One year when a late frost wiped out many delphinium plants at Wisley Mr Hancock was approached to help re stock so the story goes.

In my garden I save this small bed for growing Delphiniums all started from seed years ago. I have grown more and put in the beds but it is so difficult to tend them and they soon disappear. They are better in their own bed for ease of tending them as well as a better visual display and without the rose but I haven't the heart to sacrifice the rose Sanders White.

This is blush rambler with Rosa Mundi below and Carnaby clematis to the left.

Rambling Rector pink Cornelia and Pink Fantasy Clematis

Cornelia with cat mint Six Hills which is lovely in these box beds.

A better photo of Rosa Mundi a cutting from Dad's garden years ago. Dad died last week at aged 99. He encouraged my love of gardening by example as a young person and we enjoyed a friendly competition of our rose and clematis collections .

Charles de Mills another cutting from Dad's garden.

Sweet Juliet doing well this year with the most delightful perfume.

Mayor of Casterbridge

Thanks to Twitter I came a cross a post below, I have just bought some and fingers crossed I am able to save my lovely box - so far I have lost several potted bushes so it is just a matter of time before it works through the garden, if I can't stop it.

Tim Unwin

@TimUnwin

Replying to

@harphat

,

@NigelSlater

and

@ObsMagazine

Try this in your new garden box: TOPBUXUS XenTari - Against Boxwood Moth Caterpillar - Professional Dosage - Biological - Safe for Bees and Birds - Effective Against Oak Processionary ... I've used it for the first time this year, and so far so good!