We’ve had some pretty gusty winds over the last few days – strong enough to bring down some fair size branches on the back lane. I put an extra support next to my standard rose one evening as it was bending alarmingly and I didn’t want to wake up to a stick instead of a lollipop!Luckily everything seems to have survived…
The irises are gorgeous at the moment, the lavender ones are some special ones my mum ordered from France a few years back, they’ve have put on a great display this year. The flowers are huge…
The dark purple iris is one of my favourites, this one is from Thornton Hall gardens, it’s just beautiful. When the sunlight is behind it, it’s violet.
The dark purple iris is in my Amber & Amethyst garden, it’s working out well at the moment as it is right nextdoor to these wonderful lupins with a pretty tangerine orange geum behind.
The pond area is looking very verdant, the hostas are filling out nicely. The big variegated one by the path seems to avoid the attention of the slugs, touch wood it usually still looks great in the autumn. In fact most of the hostas here get little slug damage, the occasional toad we have by the pond must be doing his job. Hubert the heron is rapidly disappearing behind the Solomon’s seal.
At last years Harrogate show I bought a few clematis, I think I might have mixed up the pruning as some are very short, others are tall and just flowering at the top. I think I need a book to note which ones need pruning when! The big white blooms look quite startling against the dark fence.
I’m still plodding my way through the weeds in the front garden, but the big rose bush has come into flower, it’s glorious! It’s about 5′ tall and wide now and it’s covered in creamy white flowers, it smells wonderful as you walk up the drive. I’m going to be brave and try and prune it a little after flowering. I have to confess I’ve never pruned this one as it’s a different habit to my other roses, one flush of flowers early summer, I think it’s called a Scottish rose – rosa spinosissima .
We’ve got a bumble bee nest under our eaves, usually this wouldn’t be a problem, however we need our bargeboards and soffits replacing, the gentleman who came to give us a quote didn’t look too convinced when I said I’m not getting rid of it as they don’t stay for long anyway. From what I could see (a white bum!) they are tree bumblebees, their nests usually only survive two to three months. We need all the bumble bees we can get!
thecraftycreek 
I am proud of you for speaking up for the bees. They need all the help they can get. That is one huge rose bush, beautiful. You will get your clematis pruning figured out. There is information on the internet about that. Best of luck…
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That rose bush is amazing. I am envious.
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It seems to thrive on neglect 🙂
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Yes, well done for speaking up for the bees. As for the plants, it’s your irises that make me envious! I love them, and they are such hardy plants. And for you, they must hold special memories of your mother.
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Your entire garden looks fabulous! We had a frost and although my clematis is blooming, the flowers aren’t as pretty as it did in previous years.
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We had a late frost too, so I’ve a few brown leaves around the garden, especially one of my acers.
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Glad your plants survive the strong winds and those are some amazing irises! How lovely you have the irises that your mom got from France! The other plants are wonderful to you I always enjoy seeing the meander about your garden 🙂
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Wonderful, as always, Margaret! I love the iris…brings good memories of my Mom and her iris garden! 🙂
I have a garden full of bumble bees right now. Love them!
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I can just smell those beautiful flowers! I’ve never seen a bumblebee nest, good for you protecting them!
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We had a bumble bee nest in a bird box a few years ago. The drones ‘dance’ outside the nest for hours on end, making it look really busy, when actually it’s the same 20 bees going round in circles 😀
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Oh, that ‘black’ iris, so very lush and beautiful. I love all irises, but especially the very dark ones.
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It’s gorgeous is the black iris 🙂
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Glad the winds didn’t damage your beautiful garden, and you’ll let those 🐝 🐝 stay. We do appreciate all our bees. 😉
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