Things are changing so quickly in the garden just now, that it's hard to keep up with everything new that is blooming.
Alliums are definitely the stars of the show at the moment. From Purple Sensation, Nigrum, Cristophii, Globe Master, Chives and dainty Ostrowskianum, they are providing plenty of nectar for the bees and butterflies, and are quite the purple spectacle. I love the way you can just leave them to get on with it, and how they happily self seed and weave amongst the other plants.
Anemone Harmony Pearl seems to have been enjoying the sunny weather. This is a new addition to the garden, and I shall be nurturing it this year, ready to divide next year. It's such a beautiful colour, and I'd like little clumps of it dotted around.
Foxgloves are one of my favourite flowers, and they have self seeded everywhere this year. Just look at the delicious pale pink colour and speckles of this one. So pretty! Due to a mix up with one of my internet orders, I've been informed that I'll be getting some free Illumination Pink Foxgloves sent to me soon. These are a perennial variety that flower for months. I'm really looking forward to comparing them with the traditional kind.
And result! One of the other Viktoria Luise poppies that I thought was also going to turn out red, has in fact bloomed the fantastic coral pink it was meant to. I can't tell you how happy that made me! The others are still waiting to bloom, but fingers crossed it was just one rogue red. Doesn't it go beautifully with the burnt orange leaves of xHeucherella Sweet Tea, an interesting cross between Heuchera and a Tiarella.
Another Heuchera in bloom is Paris. The wispy pink flowers are so dainty, and the marbled leaves stay on the plant almost all year. My other Heucheras are only halfway to blooming at the moment.
Polemoniums have been blooming for three weeks now and are still looking good.
And the Astibles are busy brightening up the shady area. These are Breman and Europa.
Lamium Red Nancy and the gorgeous, richly vanilla scented Nemesia Sweet Lady are joining together to smother one of the wildlife pond borders. I could stand here all day sniffing in the perfume.
I have Nemesia Raspberries and Cream here too, and although the little flowers are beautiful, they have no scent. They do flower until Autumn though, so I guess that is the compromise. I'm hoping if I mulch these well after flowering, they may last over winter.
There are lots of lovely combinations in flower just now. The Verbascums are mingling nicely with the Hardy Geranium.
And in the shady area, Poppies, Foxgloves, Aquilegia and Hardy Geranium are all keeping company with the Marsh Marigold and Carex.
And the Aquilegias are still going strong. I am always sorry to see them finish blooming, so that late start to Spring has actually done me a favour this year as there are still many buds on the plants.
It looks like the sunny weather has finished for now (I really hope that week wasn't our summer!), but I am still spending nearly all my time in the garden, there is just so much to do at this time of year...and I LOVE IT!
