I know many of you were hit by torrential rain last Monday. Here, it started at 11 am and thundered down without a pause, through the day, and continued overnight.
The forecast had been for a good, sunny, warm day and I have to ask myself – how could they get it so wrong? My son had taken one of his holiday days to work on the construction of his garden office, and my husband had gone out early that morning to help him. Instead of adding to the building, they spend the entire day trying to waterproof it. They were soaked to the skin and so discouraged.
As for me – well, I stood at the patio doors and watched the plants slowly bend over until they reached the ground. We then had a couple of sunny days when most of the plants lifted themselves back up. Yesterday though, we returned to very heavy rain and overall temperatures are poor.
Does anyone know where summer has gone?
Six on Saturday
Ammi ‘Snowflake’ is described as “robust and upright”. No matter what variety of Ammi I grow, it’s never robust or upright. It curves and snakes its way through other plants, eventually emerging somewhere other than where it was planted. But I still grow it…just because I like it.
I added two Raymond Evison clematis to the patio planter this year. They’re both ‘Luiza’ and grow to no more than 2 ft, ideal for planters & window boxes. They’ve flowered really well for first-year plants.
The orange/red poppies below have self-seeded from somewhere or other in the bottom corner of this bed. I was about to pull them out, but changed my mind and left them alone. I’m quite glad that I did, as this untidy little patch is full of faded springtime plants that haven’t yet been deadheaded and the poppies add a much-needed splash of colour.
The rain this week brought all Rosa ‘Bonica’ bushes to the ground. The weight of the flowers and the rain was too much for them. This photo was taken before the heavy rain. We’ve had to pull those bushes upwards and stake them. Deadheading’s a work in progress.
My own little corner at the top of the garden, just outside the greenhouse is the place where no one sees me if I want a few quiet moments just to relax and enjoy a little bit of ‘me’ time. Climbing rose, ‘The Pilgrim’ had started winding itself around my chair while we were abroad, and when we came home, it was a joy to sit there and take in the perfume.
Cosmos ‘Fizzy Pink’ (below and top) was grown this year along with ‘Double Click Mix’. The image isn’t quite as sharp as it should be, even accounting for the shallow depth of field. It was a breezy day and though I waited and waited, the little gusts just kept on coming. But I’m sure you’ll get the idea of how lovely this variety is.
That’s all for this week! I hope you enjoy your weekend – and happy gardening!
Jim is hosting Six on Saturday, so be sure to visit and discover the contributions from others. You’ll be delighted by the wonderful selection of plants and flowers that are posted each week, along with an abundance of great advice!
Notes From My Garden 
I must grow some ammi next year, I like the way they’re winding through the salvia. And definitely some cosmos, “Fizzy Pink” is gorgeous.
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Ammi looks really good with the roses (and other things too of course), Helen. I might try sowing the seeds this year to see if I can get stronger plants for next year, but it’s hard getting seedlings safely through the winter.
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The Cosmos is very beautiful in focus or not. I tried some this year but they have struggled. Yours has inspired my to try again in another location.
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Some years I have difficulty getting them to germinate. One variety might produce only one or two seedlings, while others really take off. Fizzy Pink was easy to germinate though, and I’m hoping for good results within next year too.
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Lovely 6. Do you grow Orlaya too? I can never decide which I like best. You can’t beat Opium poppies for a pop of colour. I grow the black ones but I like your red ones too. I love your cosmos, I’ve grown the same one, along with ‘Cupcakes’.
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Yes, I do grow Orlya, but not every year. It’s shorter than Ammi, so is best at the front of the border with perennials, while Ammi looks great among roses (that’s my thinking) 😁 There are some lovely varieties of the opium poppy, and if I’d chosen, I would probably not have picked the orange – but it was gifted – and its colour has been appreciated!
Cosmos ‘Cupcakes’ is one I haven’t tried – I must Google that one, Chorlis.
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The Cosmos are fabulous. I usually have some for planters, but this year I only direct sowed some white ones which have still to flower.
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I like Cosmos in planters too, Jude, though, because of the winds here, I usually sow slightly shorter varieties for pots. Hopefully, I’ll be able to sow more varieties of seeds next year.
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I usually have the sonata series which are compact. The taller ones look nice with the grasses though.
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You always have such good colour combinations. My Cosmos have yet to flower (apart from the smaller Cosmos sulphureus). The weather always seems to be extremes of one thing or the other these days.
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Thanks, Graeme. The Cosmos seem to have taken off this year. I didn’t sow many, but now I’m wishing I had! I also sowed ‘Double Click Mix’ and a photo might follow next week. Weather permitting. 😁
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I love the idea of your quite space in the garden. Oh dear I hope there isn’t too much rain damage. I’m all for self-seeded poppies, the bees seem to love them.
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Oh, everyone who works in a garden should have their own little quiet place to hide away and just take in the sights, sounds and smells of the garden. Find a spot and make it yours Rosie!
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We all need a quiet space, I’ve just finished one at the top of my garden where I can hide if I want to be alone! Your plants are all lovely and they make me feel I should be sowing lots more seeds for next year!
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I hope you enjoy that ‘me’ space in your garden, Pauline. I’m sure that you’ll find it as relaxing and calming as mine! I’m hoping to sow more seeds for next year too – I restricted my choices this year because of a poorly thought-out holiday schedule!
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Those cosmos pictures look like paintings, the colors are so vivid and gorgeous. The bee crawling into that giant poppy is cute, I hope it was well rewarded with plenty of yummy pollen for its efforts. Your roses are very pretty, Pilgrim is on my wish list!
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Thank you, Angela, I do love Cosmos flowers, they’re so delicate looking but fairly sturdy plants.
Little Bee really did have a struggle…I felt I should lean in and give him a push, but thought better of it! 😂
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Beautiful, beautiful plants in gorgeous colors. I have had no luck with Poppies, though I’ve tried them in many locations in my garden. Maybe I’ll start some in a pot and try to transplant them outdoors. We’ve had kind of the opposite problem to yours over here in the Northern Midwest U.S.–hot weather and a drought until a few days ago. Currently things have improved, so this gardener is happy for the next few days. 😉 I hope your summer weather will return soon.
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Thank you, Beth. I’ve tried, like you, to sow poppies direct into the soil and failed every time. These self-seeders must like the conditions better than others I’ve been trying to grow over the years. It probably would be worthwhile trying to start them off in a pot and I’ve read that the best time to start them off is between August and October for more flowers next year (I’ll have to remember that).
I’m glad to hear your drought is over and hope that you also get the mix of conditions that makes our gardens bloom!
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Summer seems to be absent without leave for now Catherine – we had our first dry day this month on Thursday! Today is positively autumnal. I like the look of the clematis -a most appealing colour and size. I’ve grown ammi visnaga again this year and they do seem to have a tendency to lean apart from the one plant that was a self-seeder 😂
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The weather’s definitely affecting all of us this year, isn’t it! Tomorrow is rain (again) for us, and a high of only 16C. Is it really mid-July?
I think I’ll probably revert back to Ammi Visnaga next year, Anna, as it seems to be slightly more robust than ‘Snowflake’, but as you said – it also tends to lean. If you can get self-seeders then you’re onto a winner – I’m sure they’re much stronger than tray or pot-sown seeds.
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No cosmos this summer. I’m very disappointed because the seeds harvested last year did nothing. Perhaps linked to the drought last summer? Nevertheless, I have some flowers from seed packets offered. Superb colour combinations on the first photo with salvia!
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I’ve found the same with cosmos seeds, Fred. One year they germinate really well, the following year, the same variety won’t germinate at all. Sorry you’ve been disappointed this year, but I’m sure you’ll have plenty of cosmos back in your garden again.
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If you do find out, can you please let us know where summer has gone?
No matter, your garden is beautiful! I think your Salvia ‘Caradonna’ looks lovely with your Ammi ‘Snowflake’. And the raspberry colored clematis is super! I should look into that variety that doesn’t grow like crazy. I also love the layers of petals of your poppies. So pretty.
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Oh, I’d love to be able to tell you! 😁 I have family visiting right now and I’ve had to put the central heating on. Crazy. 😂
Thank you for your nice comments!
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Your hiding place with a climbing rose looks delightful. I can’t bear to pull out a random poppy, but mine are nowhere near as nice as those double red ones of yours.
It does seem to be a rather wet and nothing kind of Summer so far. We’ve hardly eaten outside at all.
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I hope you get some pleasant outdoor days before summer is over, Catharine. It’s so nice to eat in the garden. I have a new garden table and benches that I’d hoped to use when my family were visiting (they’re here now – and that’s why I’m so late in replying). It’s not going to happen, but there’s nothing we can do to change the weather.
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What a wonderful array of colour in your garden! It certainly feels more like autumn than summer here in Mid Wales at the moment.
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Thank you, though, right now, some of my plants definitely look as though they’re heading into autumn. Surely August will be a better month…?
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