Clematis (and a penstemon)

This year, the clematis are looking wonderful.  I have some in the borders and some in pots, but the majority of them have been flowering so well.  They are looking a bit more battered as we have had several rainy days in a row this week. Above is Clematis Venosa Violacea, growing through Rosa Ferdinand Pichard.

Here it is again.

This is Clematis Perle D'Azur growing with Rose New Dawn.  The clematis has grown a lot since I took this photo.

Clematis Prince Charles, growing in a large tub.

Clematis Princess Kate also growing in a tub, but which needs to be potted on into a larger one - next Spring perhaps.  I had planned to do it this year, but lockdown and a lack of compost postponed this,

Clematis Arabella in the border.

Perle D'Azur and Rose New Dawn on the metal arch.

Penstemon Garnet was looking rather lovely too, so here it is.

The changing colours of late summer

 There is no denying it, late summer is here.  The pastel pinks of early summer are being replace with deeper, richer tones.  Despite the heat and drought-like conditions of July, the garden has come through relatively unscathed.  Above is fuchsia 'Rivendell', bought at RHS Chatsworth last year and finally repotted.

 Japanese anemone 'Bressingham Glow' which is a reliable flowerer in my garden.

 The two crocosmia 'Emily Mackenzie' which I planted in the borders are one of the only casualties in the garden. Their leaves are brown and crispy.  The one above is in a pot and has been watered.  I did water the ones in the border, but it didn't do any good. I shall have to see if they grow next year or whether they have died.

 Another crocosmia, also in a pot.

 Penstemon Andenken an Friedrich Hahn, also know as Garnet, has flowered well all through the summer.  Even the plant in the border has done well.

 A deep red cosmos - possibly Rubenza.

The blueberries have also done well and have been fruiting since July. I get this many berries every two days or so and have several bags full in the freezer.  The plants are all over three years old, so the berry production is gaining with their maturity. 
After the heat this July, I have decided that I must be a Spring and Autumn person - I like warmth but not heat.  It is cooling down again now and I am finding it much more pleasant.   

Brrr!

 This was Boxing Day night, when the snow started to fall...and fall.  By the following morning, a lot of it had gone but we were left with the slush and the cold.  It's not the cold of Canada, but after quite a warm and mild autumn, it is a shock to the system.  I don't really like the snow as it causes so much trouble, but it is beautiful to look at.

 This morning it was really frosty, although it did give me the opportunity to take more photos in the garden. (They are a little blurry, but you get the idea!)

 Hydrangea Arborescens Annabelle...

 ...Hart's Tongue Fern...

 ...Penstemon...

 ...the blackened and frosted flowers of an aster

 ...and the black leaves of Ophiopogon planiscapens nigrescens - Black Lily turf - which look wonderful with a frosty outline.

On a positive note, this little primrose is trying to flower - probably a couple of months early!

Winter has arrived

It can't be denied any longer, yesterday morning, Winter had definitely arrived with the first real frost of the season. I took a few photos of the frost on the plants - above is one of the blueberries.

It looked like a dusting of icing sugar on the flowers of Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle.

 They looked really quite beautiful.

 Frost on the rose leaves...

... and highlighting the edges of the Penstemon leaves

Although it means that autumn is over, Winter does has its own beauty.

A productive gardening day

I have had a busy day in the garden today, doing jobs which I have been unable to do in the week, due to the hot weather.  This weekend has been grey and cloudy with cooler temperatures, so I was able to catch up a bit.  Above is Jasmine 'Clotted Cream', which is doing really well, with lots of flowers still to come.

 I have planted a couple of Penstemon 'Garnet' and potted my Blueberry 'Goldtraube' into a much bigger tub.  I have also potted my Raspberries 'Joan J' into a big tub too as they had filled the original one.  Above is Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'.

I did some cutting back of geraniums which had flowered and also removed some violas which had become rather thug-like.  Above is Clematis 'Piilu'.

I wasn't the only busy one in the garden - lots of bees were visiting the jasmine and lavender.  So, a good day (but my back is aching a bit now!)

Cuttings success (I think)

I took some cuttings of Penstemon Garnet in July and only one survived. I took some more towards the end of July and I seem to have been more successful with them. Initially they wilted a bit, but they seem to be growing now. It is exciting to see something growing in front of your eyes, especially as I haven't taken cuttings before. I think I have to leave them for another week or so and I can then pot them into their own pots and start to harden them off, ready for the garden. I already have two Penstemon Garnet plants, so eventually, the garden will be awash with them. Can't wait!

A Symphony of Pink!

My garden is flowering madly at the moment and I have a huge number of plants with pink flowers - not necessarily by design. There are also touches of blue, white and purple, but at the moment it is predominantly pink. Still, when the flowers are this gorgeous, I don't mind.

From the top - Rosa Mundi (Gallica Versicolour), Cottage Rose, Penstemon Garnet. I love this penstemon as it came through the coldest winter for 30 years completely unscathed and it is in a pot. I tried to take some cuttings but all but one have wilted and died. Undaunted, I shall try again because I would like lots more of this plant.

Clematis 'Piilu' which is very reliable and floriferous. For the first time this year, it has produced double flowers (below) at the same time as single flowers (above). It also has produced a multitude of buds too. It is a great plant.