I’m playing catch up in the garden at the moment having been wiped out for the whole of last week with a virus, I didn’t have the enregy for any gardening, so I just sewed instead! With less than two weeks to our open garden weekend I could have done without it but I’m now just weeding and tidying to make it look cared for and pretty…

The rose which was going over the arch by the patio was looking very sick, a very bad case of black spot I think on a pretty old rose. I started pruning out affected areas and ended up cutting the whole lot right down. It says it all that I only saved six roses from the whole bush! I’ll give it a good feed and see what happens next year. I’m fairly philosophical about plants in the garden, they either survive or they don’t! Taking the rose down has actually opened up and lightened the area, I was a bit worried the birds would be concerned by the lack of cover near their feeding station, but within an hour the long tailed tits were landing on the feeders when I was less than 2m away from them.

Under the feeding station is a mass of geraniums, there’s actually three different colours here, all intermingling. They’re starting to get a bit out of control but as this area is earmarked for a big sort-out next spring I’m just enjoying it at the moment.

I’ve had a bit of a weed and a tidy up by the pond, cutting down the solomons seal which were looking very tatty, I need to squeeze a support underneath the crocosmia lucifer as they are well and truly flopping. Tucked away in the shade between the rhododendron and the summerhouse is a pretty corner with eunonymous, a straggly vinca, camellia, some leucothemums and what I think are the seedheads and fluffy foliage of thalictrum. There’s pulmonaria under there too and of course some geranium mingling along. Quite a lot of interest for such a little spot, it’s a shame it’s tucked away where people won’t see it!

I love this view of the Amber & Amethyst garden, it’s actually the back view, as seen when you walk up the path. I like all the spires of veronica, foxtail lillies and the poppy seed heads, together with the rusted metal stakes.

Talking of rich colours, the day lilies are just starting to flower, you can’t get much brighter than this one!

The big bed under the fence needs a big tidy up, it’s certainly looking full!There’s quite a few shrubs near the fence that only went in last year, so as long as I can keep on top of the weeds, they should grow to nicely fill this area as a low maintenance area.

The clematis over the arch is just starting to flower so I’m hoping it will look amazing in 10 days time! This one is called Romantica – I happened to find the label in the spring when I was giving it a good prune!

Down by the conservatory I’m trying to plant a nice peaceful bed, creamy whites, soft blues and purples. I saw a lovely show garden last year in Harrogate, mainly of hebs, but it just looked so calm. I also love the luminescent effect of white flowers at dusk, they look wonderful. I planted this purple sage and erysimum last year and they seem to work pretty well together.

It’s coming together is the garden, I could just do with a few more hours in the day…quilts to finish…cakes to bake…