In my absence, the garden has been flourishing under Dave's care. Some of the plants are huge!
Above is our cardoon, which must be about eight feet tall. The bees love it.
One of the inulas, next to our patio, is taller than I am. These plants have been a huge (literally) surprise for us. Dave put three of them in the ground a year or two ago and this is the first season they've really reached their potential. The leaves are as big as a shoebox.
The purple loosestrife is blooming brilliantly....
...as are the red-hot pokers and the persicaria. These persicaria, with red flowers, bloom later in the summer than our pink ones, which appear in the spring. The bees love them all.
The Japanese anemones are blooming. I told Dave I know it's almost time to go back to school when the anemones bloom.
Here are our cosmos -- including the white one I rescued back in June.
And finally, our ragwort -- the weed that appeared of its own volition in the middle of our rose garden -- is as tall as I am, topped by a mass of bright yellow flowers. (Still no caterpillars, though!) The roses are sending up new growth, too.
I haven't seen the garden foxes since my return, but I heard them barking and quarreling last night just before I fell into what might have been the best night's sleep of my life. I couldn't sleep right away, but about 11 p.m. I went unconscious until 7:45 this morning, Olga curled beside me. Terrific!
Yes. Your garden is looking lovely. It's amazing how things change in just a week in summertime.
ReplyDeleteTerrific! Isn't it fab to have flowers. I have to fight for them (mostly successfully) because my man likes growing and harvesting and freezing and processing fruit and veg and anything not providing a "yield" is a potential waste of space.
ReplyDeleteI find the cosmos will flower well into early Nov - provided there is no frost - if I deadhead the finished blossoms every couple of days with scissors.
Beautiful! Of course, I've never been able to grow anything beyond a small pot of violets and the resident felines destroy anything resembling a cut flower, but your garden space is great. I hope you both have a wonderful school year!
ReplyDeleteOh, Steve! I am so glad that you and Dave moved and now have this beautiful garden where your flowers bloom and grow tall, where foxes come to bark and quarrel at night. It seems so perfectly right.
ReplyDeletethe garden is so beautiful. and you were such a foot dragger about it in the beginning as I recall.
ReplyDeleteYou've got a large number of large and showy plants. What would happen if you had a large garden?
ReplyDeleteYou have a garden paradise! Everything looks so inviting. That first photo is spectacular.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you slept so well. When I come to London in Late September, I have one night there and leave for Paris the very next morning. I'm hoping I have the same luck as you with the first night's sleep. That is my one fear right now. Waking up in time to make the 7:55 Eurostar.
Beautiful - I especially love the first shot with the hovering bumblebee. What has Dave been feeding those plants?!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blooms! I'm sure you both get a lot of enjoyment out of your wonderful garden!
ReplyDeleteEverything is coming up roses and a whole lot of other flowers, in that garden. It looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAlphie
Lovely garden, Steve!
ReplyDeleteyou have the most beautiful garden. are you looking forward to going back to school? in summer i rather romanticize a teacher's life, though toward the end of the school year, the reality of it does intrude on my romantic notions.
ReplyDelete