My Star plants

It's a bit of an in-between time in the garden, in late May.  The roses are in bud and lots of other plants are getting ready, but the tulips are over and the Spring flowers are fading.  So, what is there to look at in my garden?

 Magnolia Fairy Blush in its second year with me and looking very pretty.

 An aquilegia my sister gave me - I don't know what the variety is, but I like the delicate pink and white flowers.

 The stalwarts of the May border - alliums.

 Another aquilegia bought last year and not planted out or potted on yet - shame on me!  I wonder whether it would seed with the white one and make a pale blue variety?

 Erigeron karvinskianus which has pretty white and pink flowers.

Reliable Geranium Phaeum, or mourning widow, to give its common name. I think this might be Lily Lovell, but am not sure.

 Geranium Phaeum Album - a lovely plant.

 Clematis Crystal Fountain just unfurling.

 More deep purple Geranium Phaeum.

Finally, another geranium, versicolor, I think, but I could be wrong.  I love the veining on the petals. This one seeds all over the place and is trying to take over, but can be removed easily. I let it stay where I want it to be, but take it out if it gets too unruly!  So, a few plants to enjoy and keep me going while I wait for the roses, peonies and clematis to flower.

Late Summer Colour

 To cheer us up after these rather dull, grey and definitely autumnal last few days, here is a nice burst of colour from the garden.  I must admit that I took these photos last weekend, when the light was better, but the flowers are all still going, though looking a little more bedraggled now.  Above is an annual dahlia, grown from seed, which I shoved in a pot and put outside the front door.  As it turned out, this is the best plant because the ones in the back garden have been decimated by snails!

 White cosmos, again grown from seed, also in the pot at the front door.

 A geranium versicolour showing beautiful veining.

 Rose Mary Rose, with the slowly opening buds of caryopteris.

 Crocosmia 'Honey Angels' with a shot of yellow to enliven the border.  This is a great plant, not too tall and it has come through the last winter or two beautifully.  I have ordered a couple more of these.

 A sugar pink phlox flower, bought as part of a a bare root collection earlier this year.

 My favourite geranium, Rozanne, which has been voted plant of the century by the RHS members. (I voted for it too!)

 Another cosmos, in a pot in the back garden.

 Clematis Crystal Fountain, showing the stages of the flowers.  I like the pom pom left after the petals have fallen.

 Hydrangea Endless Summer 'The Bride'.

 A pretty fuchsia 'Thamar', which is also in a pot and which came through last winter.

 A recent addition bought from Barnsdale; Helenium 'Ruby Tuesday' which is a compact variety, again in a pot. 

Beautiful rusty red flowers.

 More hydrangeas - Endless Summer 'Pink'.

A relatively new hydrangea, with blue flowers but no name.  I'm not sure how hardy this will be, but I couldn't resist the delicate blue/purple flowers.
The colours have definitely brightened my day and I hope you have enjoyed them too.

Chelsea Week - in my garden

 So, Chelsea is over for another year.  I decided to see what was flowering in my own garden this week and things have changed very quickly thanks to the sun since Tuesday.  The alliums (well, it wouldn't be Chelsea week without them, would it?) have suddenly exploded into life and the complex flowers warranted a close up (thank you, Photoshop).

 This is a Verbascum which I grew from seed last year, planted and promptly forgot about.  It wasn't until I noticed the flower spike that I realised it wasn't a rogue primrose.  I've forgotten its name though. (I know that my roses have got rust - I blame the weather!)

 Clematis 'Crystal Fountain' is looking lovely and has lots of buds which is encouraging.  I like the exuberant petals.

 Hydrangea Endless Summer Pink is the first of my hydrangeas to flower and is looking the most healthy too.

 Clematis 'Asao', also looking lovely with an interesting combination of colours from cream to green to pink.

 The always reliable hardy geraniums (I have lots of different ones) are busy too - above is Trevor's White (self-seeded from the original and shoved unceremoniously into a pot).

 Geranium Versicolour - it was originally 'Lace Time' but may have reverted back.  The delicate pink veining makes an intricate pattern.

 An unnamed geranium, which may be a sylvaticum, but I'm not sure. It does have almost luminous purple petals.

Finally, a geranium (probably Johnson's Blue) peeping out from its foliage and that of roses and nigella.
I can't compete with Chelsea, but I think my garden is managing to put on a bit of a show!