Just Pottering.........

Craig has just finished the lawns as we head for more rain. Earlier today, he dashed around the house with the vacuum cleaner getting the place back into shape. I have been spending so much time fiddling with the new camera, not much else gets done at the moment.

Climbing rose Compassion is just coming into bloom and towers over the grapevine. Akebia Quinata is a perfectly hardy fast-growing vine from Japan with magnificent foliage: it produces large clusters of chocolate purple coloured flowers with a delicious vanilla fragrance. Wonderful for covering trellises, verandas, pergolas and so on, the foliage is not bothered by insect pests.

Hybrid tea Uncle Walter, is a bright red large growing rose with shapely flowers that grow in trusses along the branches: it is lightly scented very hardy and perfoms well each year. Mine has grown happily in this part of the garden for over twenty years.

The tomato stakes are in and soon enough the strong little Beefsteak plants will need tying up. In the background, the beautiful Horse Chestnut grows in our neighbours garden across the street and makes quite a statement: a welcome sight at this time, every year.

I love the soft pink leaves of the Copper Beech that appear each year at this time as we head towards summer.  David Austin's climbing rose Graham Thomas has many new buds opening daily and will soon be covered in a mass of golden blooms. Ekeveria lives happily in the hanging basket below and is often visited by the little wax-eyes as they forage for nectar.

Gleditsia Sunburst seems to be reaching out towards the Grandiflora Magnolia and provides a shady area in the garden over the hot summer months ahead.

The rich golden blooms of Graham Thomas are spectacular: Buff Beauty grows alongside and soon enough, the buds will burst into bloom. It has a delightful fragrance which will waft over the newly planted vegetable seedlings that shelter behind the wall.

......