I didn’t think there were many changes this week in the back garden until I ventured out with my camera!

I spent all day Sunday working on on bed in the front, we’ve a major marestail problem in the front garden which I’ve been battling since 1999 when I moved into this house! This year I’m trying a new tack, I’m taking all the perennials out, leaving just shrubs, weeding and weed-killing what I can before covering it with a double layer of membrane and some mulch. I did a final dig on the bottom level on Sunday, removing another 1/2 bin of roots before covering it with membrane. I’ve planted a ground cover rose, a hydrangea and a camellia. Any weeds that come up will be zapped! The bed is probably about 3′ by 30′ and I still ache!!! Unfortunately there is still another two tiers and then the bigger main area…

…so it was quite nice to see what’s flowering in the back!

The hostas are starting to flower, the ones up by the pond are still looking pretty good, I spotted a butterfly on one leaf. I also spotted this little scarlet blighter on my lilies, a lily beetle, they are bad news for lilies so he is no more!

The pink geranium is making a takeover bid, luckily it’s fairly controllable and the soil it’s in is pretty unforgiving clay so I’m just pleased it’s so happy.

Last week I showed you a photo of clematis just starting to flower, well it’s looking gorgeous now, the birds love it for hiding in on their way to the feeders.

The roses have been pretty bashed by all the rain we’ve had. They keep promising us a six week heat wave but I’ll believe it when it comes, there’s no sign yet! The yellow one is called Buttercup, I love the simplicity and cup-shape of it. The cream one is called Champagne Moments, I bought it when we got married, in fact I gave them as thank you’s to special people at the wedding and I’ve given several as presents since. It flowers it’s head off and it’s a nice healthy, bushy rose.

Last year I planted a rambling rose to grow over my big obelisk in the AA garden, it’s in flower at the moment and it’s looking really pretty, it’s a lovely shade of apricot. I’ve just got to train it up the obelisk now!