Summer Tour (Part 2).

I hope you enjoyed Summer Tour Part 1, of Our Garden@19, if you haven't seen it just scroll down to below this post.

All the plants in Part 2 are either annuals bought or grown from seed also some perennials that I have grown from seed. The majority of my seeds come from either Chiltern Seeds or Sarah Raven, I do also save some seeds from Our Garden@19.

The first to greet you on the patio is a pair of planters with Rudbeckia 'Toto Rustic', it proved very difficult to keep alive as seedlings, wilting off, they are now beginning to prove their worth. Along- side are buckets of violas, behind, growing in an old tin bath is Fuchsia 'Mrs Popple'...

...these Petunias were purchased from a local nursery, they have been really good value.

This is the first time I have grown the white version of this annual climber, Tunbergia 'Susie Series' White, I think it is a beauty and will be on the seed list again for next year.

The nasturtiums self seed every year, this one is growing alongside Erigeron Karvinskianus which if happy will seed around every where.

These sweet peas are 'Cupani' originally introduced from Sicily in 1699, these are from seed saved in 2015.

A new one for this year is King Edward VII, adding a Royal flush to the garden.

I have been very impressed with Centaurea cyanus 'Blue Boy', I planted the seeds in September, overwintering in the cold greenhouse before planting out in the spring, they have flowered non stop since May.

We go through the arch past baskets of Lemons & Apricots (Begonias)...

...to the White & Green garden with the white Sweet William and Lychnis coronnaria alba, easy from seed along with its red stable mate.

In the main borders, Campanula lactiflora 'Prichards Variety' grown from seed eight years ago, surviving much longer than the purchased 'Loddon Anna' and...

...a beautiful orchid like flower, Francoa sonchifolia, another perennial very easy to propagate from seed.

New this year is Daucus carota ‘Dara’, it is supposed to have hints of pink in it, so far they all appear to be white and...

...also new is this beauty Cosmos sulphurous, I had never seen a yellow Cosmos until I read a post by Amelia who kindly sent me some seed. Monty Don featured them on Gardener's World a couple of weeks ago, we are at the cutting edge of horticulture Amelia!

One 'Old' favourite is Eryngium giganteum 'Miss Willmott's Ghost'...

...which along with the Bronze Fennel is loved by the pollinating insects.

A perennial that will seed itself around the garden is Knautia macedonica, I love its colour and pin cushion seed heads, seen hear with Lychnis coronaria.

Cosmos bipinnatus are easy to grow from seed, this is 'Dazzler'. 

We end the tour in the small greenhouse with trays of predominately biennials for next year.

What is 'Dazzling' in your garden this summer?

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Tree following June. (In the pink!)

"In the Pink"...meaning...in perfect condition...especially of health.

 The leaves of the Acer negundo Flamingo that I have chosen for the tree following meme are now fully open revealing their pink edging... 

...pretty in pink, nicely contrasted by the copper beech in next doors garden.

Flamingo is in the Oriental Garden, this is the new gravel river...

...flowing from the bamboo water spout, backed by two Cranes, those Japanese symbols of good fortune.

Somewhere to sit and relax..... (In the pink!)

Where are you sitting... ('In the pink'?)

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'April showers bring May flowers'. Old English Proverb.

This year the April showers have waited for May to arrive.

Some of the May flowers in Our Garden@19.

We hope they will still be flowering at the end of the month.

The Lilac, in the South facing front garden, was here when we bought the house, it is a darker colour in real life than in the picture.

The narrow border along the drive is planted with Iris and Catmint...

...two unknown Iris...

...this one might be 'Alcazar.'

Any ID help would be appreciated.

This raised bed edging the patio is planted with Siberian Wallflowers and Allium 'Purple Sensation'...

...which could be described as either a 'Bold' or 'Brave' colour combination!

Calming things down and covering a large area in the Green and White garden is the

 Clematis montana 'Wilsonii'...

draping over the Berberis thunbergii 'Aurea'.

Weigelia 'Victoria' with dark coloured leaves, always flowers profusely, with Euphorbia  palustris providing a zingy yellow...

...to complement the A. 'Purple Sensation'.

In the shrubbery, Rhododendron Yak flava is in full flower.

Ending in the Oriental Garden, Azalea 'Panda'...

...is brightening things up during the (April) showers.

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"April showers bring May flowers". English proverb. ( Biennials & Self Seeders.)

Following on from 'Bulbs'.

 Opening the garden at the end of May is bound to influence your planting scheme.

I have always grown a selection of biennials from seed. This year I have planned to grow more than usual. Here they all are in the green house, during October, waiting to be planted out.

One I would always have in my garden is the Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea.

 D.purpurea 'Sutton's Apricot' is another regular.

D. 'Pam's Choice' with its beautiful markings.

In the White and Green Garden, D. purpurea 'Alba' and Rosa 'Iceberg'.

New for this year is D. 'Silver Fox' from Sarah Raven's catalogue.

The leaves are said to be silver, with pure white flowers. It only grows to 18" and is longer lived than Alba.

Three varieties of Lunaria (Honesty) are grown.

Purple Honesty with Euphorbia palustris and Weigela 'Victoria'.

L. annua with its purple flowers and lovely silvery seed pods.

L. annua var. variegata, White Flowered Form, here in the White and Green Garden, is a particularly attractive plant.

The seeds for this strain came originally from Chiltern Seeds. I have saved my own seeds for a

few years now, for me it has always come true.

New this year from Hoo House Nursery is L. annua 'Rosemary Verey.' 

This looks very similar to L. annua 'Chedglow' from Avon Bulbs.

(See greentapestry Seedy Business). It will be interesting to compare photos at flowering time.

Sweet Rocket, Hesperis matronalis is a wonderful biennial, similar to the ones above, they can be short lived perennials.

Sweet Rocket flowers freely for months, the scent is enjoyed by both us and the insect world.

I have grown the white form from seed this year for the first time.

All of the above will self seed in the garden, there are others who need little encouragement, but I do like to see them in the garden.

The Welsh Poppy Meconopsis cambrica is one of several I welcome.

Here it has seeded itself among the Lysimachia ciliata 'Firecracker'.

Eryngium giganteum, 'Miss Willmotts Ghost' is a spectacular, spiky plant, a plant with attitude. I can understand why Miss Willmott spread it around wherever she went. Here it is with Lychnis coronaria...

with its soft white, velvet like leaves.

Linaria purpurea 'Canon Went' copyright Sarah Raven.

Linaria purpurea seeds itself around with reckless abandon. 'Canon Went' is a pink form, the seeds came from Sarah Raven's catalogue.

And finally, the one I would always have is Aquilegia, in all its varieties, which given half a chance with Linaria and the Welsh poppy, would take over the garden. What a colourful garden it would be!

One side of the White & Green Garden planted ready for Spring.

Along with bulbs we look forward to a colourful display at the end of May.