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Today I divided my time between wandering idly around the garden hunting down piles of weeds and clippings deposited by the Head Gardener; transferring four barrowloads of compost from the south end of the garden to the ficus hole in the Dragon Bed; and, of course, making photographs. Jackie continued with her weeding, clearing, and planting.
This view from the iron urn features two paths and the yellow bottle brush plant now coming into bloom. The chimney pot on the grass patch is still to receive its portion of the contents of the plant trays to be found in abundance.
These begonias are among those still to be given a tenancy.
This splendid rhododendron flanks the Phantom Path,
and has a happy relationship with a geranium palmatum,
one of many to be found all over the garden.
Rodgersias lurch across the older section of the Brick Path,
at the south end of which can be seen the clematises and gladioli in the window boxes and the weigela on the fence beyond.
The join with the newer section of that path can be seen in the opening between two foxgloves in the New Bed.
This garden view extends from a corner of the Rose Garden featuring pink aquilegias; the rose Summer Time at the corner of the painted shed; and, halfway up on the left-hand edge,
Ballerina, who trips merrily across her stage.
The orange theme of black-eyed Susan and marigolds atop this chimney pot was determined by the finial of this obelisk. Susan should soon wrap herself around it.
This geranium sheds a tear or two.
Now that the wisteria has finished flowering, its companion red rose has taken over floral duties;
and the white rambler has now joined clematis Star of India on the arch spanning the Brick Path at the corner of the Phantom Path.
Even before we reach the Rose Garden the scent of the prolific Festive Jewel drifts into our nostrils.
Peach Abundance,
sharing this shot of the Oval Bed with a large red sky-climber and vibrant valerian, does have a delicate scent completely snuffed out by the more powerful fragrance.
Day lilies, on the other side of the bed, are now enjoying their twenty four hours of glory.
Two clematises offering their first bloom are Hagley’s Hybrid in the Rose Garden,
and Piilu against the redundant garage door.
Félicité Perpétue along the back drive has also produced its first flower;
rather further on is the one in the front garden,
which also has an abundance of foxgloves.
Bees are now somewhat busy. Here is one exploring the larger erigerons;
another sampling the aforementioned bottle brush plant;
and finally one defying gravity while sipping from a swaying heuchera.
For our dinner this evening we supplemented Mr Pink’s exceedingly good Fish and Chips with Tesco’s gherkins and Garner’s pickled onions. We both drank Cimarosa Special Edition sauvignon blanc 2015.