Today was largely overcast yet remained dry.
This morning I carried out a dead-heading session and filled another old compost bag of cuttings and weeds for the next dump trip. I was watched by a robin on the Rose Garden fence, but didn’t have my camera with me.
Later I returned with the camera and photographed
a bee and a hoverfly (lower down to the right) on For Your Eyes Only;
and other insects on or approaching other plants titled in the gallery;
we have more Japanese anemones, and fuchsias;
various hydrangeas, including the phantom which is having its best year yet;
numerous dahlias;
a white New Zealand hebe, a few lingering clematises, some recently flowering blue agapanthuses, the peach climbing rose, and a hollyhock refusing to stay tied to protect it from the wind.
Jackie’s recent plantings include these baskets suspended from the eucalyptus, and the begonia and lobelia perched on a brick stand.
This afternoon I helped Flo to manage my camera and the iMac editing facility for a photographic project she is embarking upon. She is a quick learner. The pictures are hers, so I won’t show any of them here.
This evening we all dined on tender roast lamb; crisp roast potatoes and softer sweet ones; crunchy carrots; and firm Brussels sprouts and broccoli, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank François du Bessis GSM 2021.
Sounds like a lovely productive day, with a good dinner to finish it off. Nice.
Thanks very much, Pat
Your photos always are such a delight! I love all those colorful flowers! Your work in the garden is so admirable, Derrick. And the “François du Bessis GSM 2021” sounds delicious!!
Thank you very much, Jan. It would be good to be able to do it all myself again – but it is also good to have help
I so miss my phantom hydrangeas I had in my first home. I have some in my backard but they aren’t the round (I call them snowballs) type. My favourite gallery is the one with the Japanese anemones but I do love that refuse-to-be contained hollyhock, too. To be honest, they are all lovely, who am I kidding?
Thank you so much, Dale
I wish I had so many beautiful flowers in my garden, too!
Very beautiful flowers, guys! Have a wonderful weekend. ????
Thanks very much, John
????????☺️☺️
It looks like all the time you’ve spent deadheading is really paying off.
Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
You take such beautiful photos of your beautiful flowers.
Thank you very much, Merril
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Gorgeous flowers in photos, Derrick! And so cool how you captured the tiny insects at work! The tiny moth looks like a little heart on the white Japanese anemone!!! 🙂
It’s nice when The Phantom has a good year! (The hydrangea flowers AND the costumed crime-fighter! Ha!)
Oh, Jackie! I love love love the hanging baskets of recent planting-plants on the eucalyptus! SO beautiful! 🙂
Flo’s project sounds intriguing! Yes, those young-‘uns are quick learners! Best of luck, Flo! 🙂
(((HUGS))) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks very much from us all, Carolyn XXX
Gorgeous garden photos, Derrick. I especially loved the bee and the hoverfly on For Your Eyes Only. Had to search for the hoverfly, even with your direction.
I bet you are the only grandfather who can teach your grandchild something about computers. My kids always laugh about how whenever they show up to the grandparents’ houses, they spend the first half hour fixing all the annoying quirks and problems with their grandparents’ computers, phones and Ipads.
Thanks very much, Jodie. It is, of course, normally the other way round.
I find your garden to be an inspiration and, having spent part of summer in Norway and England, I have returned with a notebook filled with ideas for my own garden. I have already planted some brightly coloured pansies and petunias in pots while my enthusiasm is still afire.
That is good, Anne. Thanks very much
Absolutely stunning!
Thank you very much, RR
You have a lovely variety of flowers in bloom. My hat is off to you and the head gardener for creating such beauty, along with a home for beneficial insects and birds.
Thank you so much from us both, Alys
Particularly nice flower pictures today.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
Beautiful photos, Derrick. We’ve had so many bumble bees this summer. Now the butterflies have arrived.
Thanks very much, Jill
The new Fuchsia looks absolutely magnificent Derrick …
Thanks very much, Ivor
Beautiful.
A delight – as usual – Derrick. Sadly, the weather in our neck of the woods of late has rendered any attempt at gardening pointless!
Thank you very much, Mike
Love the pink Hydrangea. Jackie does a great job with the basket and pot arrangements 🙂
Thanks very much, Rosaliene
Beautiful flowers and amazing close ups! My hydrangeas seem to have lost a lot of their color and are starting to turn brown on the edges. But I still love them. There’s one late bloomer, maybe from the recent rains.
The rains have helped ours, too, JoAnna. Thanks very much
Lovely ????
Thank you very much, Val
I am envious of the beautiful floral displays in your garden. I have grown very little this year and filled only a few pots.
I don’t know about you, Derrick but when the grandchildren (the older ones) come to me for computer support and/or photo editing advice it makes me feel so useful, especially as they always seem to know so much these days. Very satisfying.
I wonder if you feel similar?
I certainly felt that about the photography session, which was all about focussing for bokeh, and managing fading light. But usually it is the other way round 🙂 Thanks very much, Sue.
I might come to you too, I haven’t a clue about managing fading light, I just point and shoot!
That is done in the iMac editing facility
Ah, I thought you meant on the camera. Yes, I frequently edit the lighting after the event. I’m a bit his and miss though.
I never come off automatic with the camera
Still a lot of delightful flowers, especially that yellow dahlia!
Thanks very much, John
The garden looks wonderful despite the absent English Summer.
Thanks very much, Andrew
Beautiful flowers. And I know you both work hard to grow them.
Thank you so much, Sherry
delightful photos from your garden. 🙂
Thank you very much, Wilma
So much beauty. I am envious as my garden in August is definitely past its best.
Thanks very much, Laurie. Ours is beginning to pick up
Absolutely glorious photos, Derrick. Such vivid colors and keen attention to detail.
Thank you so much, Eugi
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Divine blooms Derrick
Thank you very much, Sheree
What is the flower with the bee and the hoverfly? Is it a rose? Absolutely gorgeous. Derrick, you have so many comments that I got cramps in my finger trying to scroll down!!! You are a popular guy and an ambitious one. You and Jackie are hard workers in your garden!!! I was, too, for years until I moved to Mexico. Now I cheat and make Paciano do the hard work. I still trim and clean up a bit, but nothing compared to you two..Keeps you young!!!
Thank you very much, Judy. Yes – a rose
All the rain has brought forth those beautiful flowers in the garden! I suppose no one had to go out and water. 🙂
Quite so, Lavinia. 🙂 Thanks very much
All your maintenance pays dividends in your garden of beautiful ???? ???? ???? ????
Those ? are flower emojis
Thank you so much, Catherine
Such beautiful flowers Derrick. How are you and family? We are having a lovely time with grandchildren. I have not been able to write and read posts.
Thank you very much, Lakshmi. We are all well. I get to do my blogging because I wake up earliest 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks very much, Ribana
Fabulous peach rose. Why are you calling that flower a phantom? Is it its official name?
Yes, that is the correct name, Dolly. The draping blooms should look like a ghost’s head, but we had to move it because it didn’t have enough sun. Perhaps they will be as they should next year. Thanks very much
Fascinating flower. My pleasure, Derrick.
Your garden is looking lovely Derrick. Do Agapanthus grow well in your climate? Here in Melbourne they grow like weeds and are hard to dig out but so lovely when in flower.
Yes, they grow well here, Lindsey. Thank you very much