July 2013 - blooming marvellous!

 The recent sunny weather has done wonders for the roses, which have been lovely this year - not just in my garden but in everyone's, I think!

 Rosa Mundi has been beautiful but has been suffering from mildew as the soil has dried out so much, so I have been trying to remember to give it extra water.

Cottage Rose has done really well too.

My favourite (but don't tell the others!), Gertrude Jekyll, has been the best it has been for quite a few years.  You can also see Clematis 'Arabella' and Hydrangea Arborescens 'Annabelle' in the background.

The clematis (I think this is Etoile Violette, but if not, then it is Jackmanii Superba) has just started to flower and has helpfully draped itself across the trellis, disguising the fact that the trellis has seen better days!

 Beautiful!

 Finally, here is my first proper vase of sweet peas.  I know everyone seems to grow them and they are rather ubiquitous at the moment, but these are the first I have grown successfully from seed. I am delighted that after a very slow start when I planted them into their tub in June, they are getting into their stride now and looking fabulous.  These are Cupani and a mixture of fragrant ones.  I think I like the scent, but now and again, I'm not sure.

I couldn't resist a slice across the colours - the colours of July in my garden.

The oddness of English seasons

I took advantage of Sunday afternoon, when it wasn't actually raining, to have a brief tidy in the garden (not that you would realise I had tidied anything!)  There was a clematis (I think it is Etoile Violette) in flower and with buds coming too.  I had cut this one back hard at the end of the summer because it had gone brown and horrible, and I was hoping it hadn't got some nasty disease.  This must have either sent it into shock, producing more growth and  flowers, or made it think it was next year and time to flower again.  Yes, it was lovely to see, but the sad thing is that it will more than likely get another shock from the frosts.

 A hardy geranium still flowering, despite the rain.

Rose Molineux also with lots of buds.  This isn't all that unusual, as roses often do flower into winter.  It is still a wonderful thing to see and lifts the spirits.

Plant combinations

I just thought I would share a couple of lovely plant combinations I noticed on my daily wander round the garden.  Above is a lovely trio of climbing rose 'New Dawn', Clematis 'Perle D'Azur' (flowering really well this year, not sure why, but very nice anyway) and Jasmine 'Clotted Cream'.  The jasmine and rose also have the added benefit of fragrance too.

Here is Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' with Clematis 'Arabella' to the left and Clematis 'Etoile Violette' on the trellis at the back.  The Hydrangea has gone completely mad this year and has a huge number of flowers and is in danger of taking over the garden.  It is a beautiful plant though, so I just let it grow where it wants to.