August flowers and the badger
The cool summer is keeping the flower borders very healthy and all the plants are very lush at the moment. This is one of my favourite plants and a magnet for bees - Echinops bannaticus ‘Taplow Blue’. A lovely flower viewed at a distance but fascinating up close.
‘Providing a bright splash of red and yellow is Alstroemeria ‘Evening Song’. I dug up some orange alstroemerias years ago as they were rather invasive. I think I was a much neater gardener when I was younger, but I’ve grown out of that now thank heavens!.
When I moved here many years ago my garden loving neighbour gave me some seed from two Hibiscus shrubs he’d seen in someone’s front garden. One came purple and the other was this white one with a red centre. My neighbour died a few years ago but these two hibiscus shrubs will always remind me of him.
I love these Allium sphaerocephalon which are easy to grow from seed. The flowers look like they have burst out of their papery buds, so different from the neat round globes of some other Allium species. I also like the two contrasting colours. Try to ignore the garden hose.
If you look in the top right hand corner of the above picture (click for larger view) you can just about see the hole which the badger has dug under the fence. Yes he has come back and has sited his latrine in the bottom corner of the garden under a Ceaonothus ‘Blue Mound’. Very considerate of him. Our three cats are pleased too - they don’t have to bother jumping the fence.
7 comments
Beautiful summer flora (and fauna digging a hole for a specific purpose). The Echinops is such a striking flower, I would like one like this in my garden!
Yes, I like Allium too, I plant borders with them, they are not invasive. I like the two flowers together.
It is amazing how your garden looks lush - and mine looks battered!
I didnt know that Allium sphaerocephalon was easy to grow from seed. So thank you for that tip. Lovely Hibiscus.
Sorry to hear the badger is back.
Regards
Karen
Beautiful flowers and good to look at the cool greens as well as the colours (from a distance!) as I sit here in 35 degree Mediterranean heat!
Titania - I wouldn’t mind if I could get to see the fauna, but it remains invisible!
Karen - We’ve had enough rain to keep things fresh - but not heavy enough to flatten every thing. It’s still too much in my opinion.
Chaiselongue - I am envious from here, but would be complaining about the heat if I was there!
Your piccalilli recipe sounds yummy. I need to get me some jars.
Love these flower photos–I’ve been coveting an echinops for a few years, myself. Maybe next year I’ll find a nursery who’ll get me one.
Badgers do love to keep to themselves. Perhaps if Mr. Toad goes on a rampage he’ll turn up to set things right. ; )
The echinops looks fascinating, so perfectly round, and beautifully blue.
Now if only badgers could be trained to dig the holes where you want to plant.
Superb !
I am a french boy from the south of France and we can see the consequence of the climate on our flowers…
We don’t have the same… at the same time !
You have a beautiful garden !
Leave a Comment