Plants in July

Although it has been really dry (we have had showers this week and they have refreshed things, but haven't really got down into the soil), the plants in the garden seem to be managing.  Above is the oregano which the bees have been enjoying.

The hydrangeas are flowering too - this is Coco.

I do like the white hydrangeas in particular and whatever soil they are in, they stay white, so are slightly easier to manage. This is a small white macrophylla. 

I have just one flower spike on agapanthus Silver Baby.  This means it probably needs potting on for next year.  I like the pale blue edges to the petals.

Hibiscus Oiseau Bleu is flowering much earlier this year (it usually flowers in August) but is looking beautiful. I always feature this plant and I love its exotic flowers.

Rose Kew Gardens is a delight and has kept going through everything this summer has thrown at it. Pale creamy yellow flowers which fade to cream and then white.  It is one of my favourite roses.

This is an ornament I bought at RHS Chatsworth and which had been leaning against the wall waiting for me to find a good place.  It has ended up in a rather dark corner but I think it looks good there, especially with the clematis behind it.

More hydrangeas - Dark Angel...

..Magical Revolution Blue (I am not adding colorant to this one so it is gradually changing to a purply pink, but that's fine)...

...and Endless Summer The Bride.  Another white hydrangea which adds some lightness to the end of the garden.

Late Summer in the garden

You can tell it is late summer now. The roses had a break and some are now flowering again.  the agapanthus is flowering - above is 'Flower of Love'. This one didn't flower at all last year, so I repotted it this spring and it has rewarded me with ten flowering stems. 

Silver Baby is also flowering - four flower stems after I repotted it.  I really like the delicate pale blue colouring of this one

I remember an agapanthus grower on TV saying the plants do like to be potted on each year, which goes against the 'they like to be crammed in a pot' wisdom.  Personally, I am not sure that any plants likes to be crammed in a pot.  

This pelargonium 'Candy Flower' was bought earlier in the year and once potted on, sat and sulked for a few weeks.  However, it has come into its own now with these beautiful pinks.

This compact oregano was also bought earlier in the year and has been attracting bees through the summer.  I potted it on once, but I think it may need potting on again next year.

Finally, late summer into (whisper it) Autumn, here is the first apple from my little patio apple tree.  It is the variety 'James Grieve' which can be used as a cooking apple or eating one.  It is a little tart but quite delicious. It will need a bigger pot next year too, I think.  I took quite a few of the smaller apples off  earlier in the year as I didn't prune the tree at all last year (oops), so it has rather long shoots.  There are seven large apples altogether and I picked another one today.  I will prune it in Winter this year. 

Lots to enjoy as summer slowly begins to move to autumn.
 

In the garden in late July

 Having just had a very hot week (well, hot for the UK) and then torrential rain yesterday, some plants are flowering a little earlier than they would normally.  Above is Agapanthus Navy Blue.

 Here is Agapanthus Silver Baby which has the faintest tinge of baby blue to the edge of the flowers.  I would normally expect them to flower in August.  Incidentally, they didn't flower all that well last year and this year, I potted them on.  Listening to an Agapanthus grower on TV at one of the RHS shows, it seems that they need to be potted on annually, split when they get too big and given space (rather than being crammed in, which was the general wisdom) and fed.  It has made a difference to mine this year, so I need to add that into the Spring maintenance schedule.

My lovely Hibiscus Oiseau Bleu is flowering earlier than in the past.  It looks like it has leaned over a bit this year or maybe it is just bigger so it seems to be taking up more space.

 My blue hydrangea is looking lovely and still blue, which is encouraging.

 Clematis Blue Angel is flowering away (even if some of the petals have been eaten by marauding snails).

 Hydrangea Arborescens Annabelle is flowering beautifully too.  I cut her back really hard in Spring, but she has responded well.

 Hydrangea Dark Angel is also putting on a good show.

 Hydrangea Little Lime is a new to me plant with lime green flowers which age to pink.  So far, it is doing well.

 Hydrangea Merveille Sanguine is also looking good...

 with the creamy green flowers which age to a fuchsia pink.

Finally, on this Hydrangea-fest, here is 'Fireworks', flowering well.