PHYLLIS IS TRAVELLING NORTH

Good morning to you,

Yesterday I was busy tidying the garden,  attacking weeds  and deadheading plants and generally giving the garden a good "wash and brush up" ready for Phyllis' visit. I wanted to be sure everything was spic and span before she arrives on Tuesday. Phyllis is going to spend two weeks with us which   I'm really looking forward to, and I wanted the garden to look nice so that on sunny days we could  sit  and enjoy the garden. 

If you were to visit our garden, you would find a clash of colours.  I love subtle colours, such as blues, pinks and whites, but  George loves vibrant colours like reds, oranges and yellows. So our garden is a garden of two halves, which sometimes cross over and mix with each other, like our marriage really, as we are as different as chalk and cheese and sometimes we clash, but we also meld together beautifully!

 What a gorgeous plant, this Astilbe stands very tall, about 4 feet and it looks so light and feathery!

One of my favourites is Hidcote Lavender. When the flowers are dry, I use them to make lavender bags to put in my linen drawers.  Ivy used to do the same and there is nothing like freshly washed and ironed cotton sheets with the delicate smell of lavender to send you to sleep.

This little lady is  Doris. She is a modern Pink and she flowers continuously throughout the summer and the added bonus is, her perfume is beautiful.

Now for one of George's favourites, Yellow Loose strife. As you can see  by the colour of the flowers, this plant shines even on a dull day. This plant just gives and gives as every two years it has to be divided, so we can share the spare plants with family and friends.

Now I appreciate these are runner beans, but this is the first year I have grown them and I'm thrilled to see they are doing so well, I just hope the rest of the summer is warm enough for the beans to develop.

This is a beautiful little Campanula, her flowering is prolific and such a beautiful shade of blue.

And here we have Osteospermum, the flowers open and close with the sun, so are best positioned where they can catch the sun all day.

This  Amethyst  Trailing Geranium usually flowers continuously, but not this year I'm afraid, we just haven't had the sunshine.  I was first introduced to these beauties whilst living in Germany. The  balconies were overflowing with  geraniums, such a beautiful sight.

Heavenly white Cosmos in the foreground with large Daisies in the background. There's nothing more to say.... perfection!

I love these Garnet Penstemons as they don't need staking they stand tall and proud all by themselves.

Isn't this fuchsia beautiful. When I bought the plant the label read "Dollar Princess", but this fuschia certainly isn't , but I don't mind, when the flowers bloomed they  were a lovely surprise

Now here is a plant that says "Look at Me!" This Monbretia is just starting to open it's buds, it's a very vibrant plant, and again another which spreads so easily.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at a small part of  our garden. Our garden isn't large, it's just enough for us to look after and a garden we don't have to worry about when we are away travelling.

 

My idea of paradise, is sitting in a warm sunny garden, the flowers swaying in a gentle breeze, the bees buzzing around the flowers and me, well, just relaxing reading a book.

Paradise isn't about money, to me it really is about "stopping and enjoying  the moment".

What is your idea of paradise?

Take care and I'll see you later in the week.

Best Wishes,

Daphne xxx