Garden Highlights

 Having just had a wander round the garden, I thought I would share some of my favourite things flowering at the moment (about three weeks early, due to the odd weather).  First is Clematis 'Rebecca' whose bright petals make a great contrast with the foliage colour.  It is using the post from the bird table to climb up and seems to quite like it there, despite the odd splashing of the petals from the birds.

 Next we have one of my very favourite roses, 'Gertrude Jekyll', who has appeared on this blog more than once, but every time I see a flower, I think it deserves another mention.  I had to hold the flower up due to its weight after a shower of rain.  (And it has the most delicious scent too).

 A rather less than beautiful shrub, and a new purchase of a Blueberry 'Goldtraube', as I lost one of my two very straggly plants over the winter.  This plant is a much better shape than mine, and has lots of flowers.  About five minutes after putting it in the garden, I saw a bee happily visiting the flowers.  It would be nice to actually grow a berry - so far that has eluded me!

 Geranium 'Magnificum' and very well named.  It has been moved twice and hadn't flowered in the two years since I bought it.  This year, it is obviously feeling happier and has put out these lovely purple flowers with darker veining. 

Finally, a lime and white flower from Hydrangea Endless Summer 'The Bride'.  I bought three plants, this one, a blue and a pink, this time last year from a very well known shopping channel (QVC, just in case you are wondering) and just left them in the shelter of a brick wall over winter, so thought they might not do terribly well.  They were only very small plants, but did look very healthy.  I gave my sister the blue one and kept the others.  Well, a year on and this is the result and I am thrilled with them.  They are bursting with health and both have lovely flower buds and flowers.  I have recently ordered a new variety called 'Avant Garde' which has one massive flower and am waiting for that to be delivered.  I'll take photos of it as it grows and see if it does what was promised.  If it is anything like these two, I won't be disappointed.