The weather has thrown everything at us this week, cold mornings (yes, central heating cold), warm afternoons, thunderstorms and torrential downpours. The plants took a bit of a beating overnight on Tuesday during a thunderstorm. Heavy rain turned roses to mush, broke stems and flattened newly planted annuals. However, after a bit of deadheading, pruning and propping up, everything picked up and looked fairly good again in the warm sun that followed on Wednesday afternoon.
I had a small plant order arrive this week, with some plants for the little den area that I’m working on – I’ll tell you more about that in a later post. I started planting them on Friday, but guess what – I was rained off. You all know what I’ll be doing on Saturday. Weather permitting. 😁
It’s Six on Saturday again, and here’s my selection for the weekend.
Early Summer Border
This border was featured in a post just a couple of weeks ago but from a different angle. It has changed a little as more flowers are opening or growing larger. Supplying the main colour to the area is Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ with the white Allium ‘Graceful Beauty’ in the foreground. Other plants just peeking into the image are Alchemilla mollis, polemonium, wallflower, Orlya grandiflora and Allium christophii.
Background foliage is provided by Lavatera ‘Baby Barnsley’ which is a baby no longer and will have to be taken out of this border at the end of the season.
Rosa ‘Kew Gardens’
This pretty little rose is new and growing in a container. It has apricot coloured buds that open to white flowers, flushed with a lovely lemony colour behind the stamens. It’s a little delight.
It’s still very small, and I think it will make more of an impression next year when has grown a little.
Rosa ‘Rhapsody in Blue’
Described as ‘the closest rose to blue…deep purple-magenta fading to slate mauve’
I look at it and I see purple. That perception of colour changes with the light that it’s viewed in and also the colours of the background, but whether it’s close to blue or not, it’s a lovely rose that makes a welcome change from the many pinks I have in the borders.
Baptisia australis
I’m surprised that this plant, also known as false Indigo, has grown so well this year. It was just peeking through the ground during early spring, in an area that I was working on. I tried to avoid it but repeatedly forgot that it was there, stepped back and tramped on it time after time.
It’s been in the garden for around three years now and it must tougher than I’ve been giving it credit for.
Allium Christophii
I had forgotten that I’d planted these in the garden – well – to be truthful, I still can’t remember planting them, but I must have unless I had a visit from the plant fairy. There are several clusters of them around the garden, and they’re a welcome addition to the borders. They amaze me – look how intricate the flowers are. Incredible!
Strawberries
We’ve been harvesting our strawberries for a few weeks, but the plants this year are a bit weak despite careful watering and feeding. They’re second and third-year plants in two separate beds, though still producing plenty of berries that we’re enjoying, even without the tennis!
I’m planning to lift and replace all of them with new plants in autumn, perhaps new varieties too. This will be the first year that I haven’t propagated my strawberries from runners. It’s time for a change.
As we ease gently out of lockdown, be careful when you’re away from home. Stay safe and enjoy a happy gardening weekend.
Here’s where you can find out more about joining in with other SoS garden enthusiasts from around the world:
ABOUT SIX ON SATURDAY
Six on Saturday is like a weekly journal. Take six photographs and post them to Twitter and/or your blog. You can get all the details from The Propagator who kindly set it all up. If you want to join in and see what everyone else is doing in the garden, just follow the link!
All photographs copyright of Catherine Wood unless otherwise stated.
Notes From My Garden 
Those white roses are gorgeous.
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I’ve only had ‘Kew Gardens’ for a few months, and I think it will be a nice addition to the garden. Very different from the other roses.
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Great photos as always. The early summer border is a show and that’s the second post today to feature the Graceful Beauty Allium – maybe I should take it as a sign! Rosa ‘Kew Gardens’ is lovely. Is it scented?
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They’re available to order now for September delivery, Graeme, so maybe it’s time to give them a go! 😁 I also planted Alliums ‘Millennium’ and ‘Summer Beauty’ – but annoyingly none of them have grown. I have one stem, nothing else.
‘Kew Garden’ is very lightly scented, perhaps a little more warmth in the air would help bring out the fragrance.
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Thanks for the info. I bought Millennium last year. I’ll have to check whether it’s returned.
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Love your early summer border. It’s an awesome mix. Rhapsody Blue is striking. I got Allium Christophii planted first time and doing pretty well. I might plant a few together to make an impact like yours.
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I think the summer border is more of an accidental mix – I’m now trying to think more about what plant looks good with what…and hoping for a good autumn so I can start making some changes throughout the garden. Glad your Allium Christophii are doing well, I have one or two singles, where the other bulbs haven’t grown.
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The two roses that you presented to us are wonderful. I don’t even know which one I prefer of the two because the colours match well together: I hope they are close to each other!
My allium Christophii balls have lost their colours and the strawberry picking is almost over. Raspberries and currants now.
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My favourites change from day to day as the roses produce more blooms. I’ve seen your redcurrants – and they look delicious! I have a couple of blueberry bushes but I don’t think the harvest is going to be great – they’re in pots and I think they now need to go into the ground.
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Stunning photos and colours, as always. That Baptisia is a lovely blue, I hadn’t heard of that before. Is it poisonous like delphiniums and monk’s hood ? It has a similar appearance although that may seem a bit of a daft notion on my part. My Rhapsody in blue is doing really well too.
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If you have animals or young children around, then I think it’s always wise to check out any new plant, Granny. Gardeners’ World site reports that there’s no known toxic effects for Baptisia, though if you look carefully, there is a report of a couple who mistook the small Baptisia shoots for asparagus and were poisoned after eating them. Hmmm…I would hope I wouldn’t make that mistake.
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I agree, the Rhapsody in Blue is purple, but it’s very pretty and unusual. I love the alliums! I should order some now for fall shipment, the online sources have them on sale.
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I also have Allium ‘Cameleon’ in one of the borders, but it flowered earlier, and I forgot to photograph it. It’s another pretty white allium but with a pink stripe on the petals, Lisa.
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Ah, your photos are a feast for the eyes. The simplicity of your Kew garden rose is spectacular and their apricot buds are lovely, too.
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Thank you – I think “Kew Gardens’ will look quite impressive in a year or so. It’s in a container, but when it’s a bit bigger it will be moved into a border.
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Rhapsody in Blue is a lovely colour and especially so as it fades I always think. It looks fab in a purple border. Speaking of which your summer border is fabulous. The planting is so harmonious. What type of soil do you have there? I lost my Polemonium and looking at yours reminds me what a lovely blue it was. Perfect with the pink and white colours.
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Thanks Jude. The summer border has just evolved, mostly without much planning – I’m trying to get my ideas together for next year though. Changes, hopefully, are on the way. We have heavy clay here, and a lot of rain throughout the year. We’ve tried to lighten it and I think, succeeded in some areas, but not (yet) in others.
My Polemonium didn’t do well last year, but it’s thickening up and beginning to look much more attractive now.
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The roses are beautiful. I love the colour of Rhapsody (in mauve) and the very sweet and demure Kew Gardens. Every time I see Gertrude I kick myself that I don’t have one.
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Thank you. Every garden needs a Gertrude, and it’s never too late to add her in. Go on, treat yourself. 😊
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What a lovely selection of plants! My favourite is the Rhapsody in Blue rose. It is exquisite! The Kew Gardens rose is lovely too. You certainly have a great strawberry crop there. My strawberry pots will need some attention soon.
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We’ve had so much rain – with more in the forecast for the next few weeks – and Rosa ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ is looking a bit sad and downtrodden tonight (in fact all the roses are). I guess the snips will be out tomorrow morning (if it’s dry enough) and a lot of deadheading will be taking place.
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Hopefully it will be dry enough for you to deadhead. That is a chore I often forget about.
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Beautiful flowers Catherine. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ at the moment which will be the first time I’ve ever bought a container rose as opposed to a bare plant. That allium is a most splendid creation – nature’s own engineering feat. Enjoy those strawberries – they look mouth watering 😃
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Thank you, Anna. I’m sure you’ll love Gertrude when she arrives – I hope she flowers beautifully for you all through summer.
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Lovely pictures. I see purple but, whatever it’s name, the Rose is beautiful. The Baptisia is interesting, one to look into.
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One of the things that I like about the Baptisia australis is that the slugs and snails don’t seem to be remotely bothered with it. Plants like that are perfect for my garden. 😁
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