Having enjoyed a few weeks of sunny weather, we have now settled down to the usual British summer weather – mixed, a bit of sun, a bit of rain, warmish, coolish…if nothing else then the garden is happier!

June is meant to be the peak of the traditional English garden and there is certainly lots of colour at the moment, there’s a few peonies and clematis still flowering with their big blousy blossoms. This beautiful peony is up in the deep border by the big fence, I love the simplicity of the flowers in such a pretty shade of pink.

I’ve been working hard to tidy up the patio area this week. The raised bed isn’t easy to access as it’s so densely planted, especially for someone like me with no balance! I only attempt this border when my OH is around, in case I either get stranded or fall off! I have to access it by going to the top of the garden, round the back of the summerhouse, along by the big fence and under the sambuscus nigra! The beds have been taken over by a mixture of astrantia, geranium and alchemilla mollis. I feel a bit guilty digging up astrantia as if you want to buy one in a garden centre they’re not cheap, but mine have self seeded everywhere, especially the light one. I’ve got too many nasty weeds to give plants away – I’d hate to pass on mares tail by accident! I tend to keep the pink astrantia and pull some of the whitish green ones up.

The pink geranium is a big one, it’s called Ann Folkard, I’ve realised it’s gradually spreading along the bed, having planted one plant quite a few years ago in the bottom corner by the gate I now have about half a dozen plants spreading up to the rose border above! They’re lovely and colourful but I think I’m going to need a serious sort out of this area next year.

Whilst I was up on the raised bed I pruned some of the bigger shrubs such as the choisya and the box as they’re starting to crowd out perennials. I pulled out an alchemilla mollis which was overtaking a pretty pink astrantia too. The bed is looking a bit battered now but it will soon recover.

I overhauled my pots too, some are still looking decidedly dodgy after the very late frosts we had in May, I’ve moved three pots which need a bit of tlc and put some new plants in such as a fuschia and some viola. My water feature has sprung a leak again, I thought I’d fixed it, blocking up the holes again, I think this time I’ll completely empty it and test it overnight for leaks.

With a concerted effort to tidy up, it’s a lovely spot for my morning coffee again.

Most of the roses are just starting to bloom but I’m particularly pleased with the rambling rose growing up my obelisk, I’m sure I only planted it about three years ago, maybe four at the most, it’s is covering the obelisk and the blooms are from top to bottom. Last year when I was pruning I wound some of the branches round the frame almost horizontally then this year I pruned all the side shoots off them to about six inches. It seems to have worked! Maybe I’ll direct it over the arbour next!

The garden is looking pretty colourful now, with most of the roses still to put on their best show.