And a very soggy Bloom Day it was too. It has rained steadily here since Friday morning - the rain is still coming down as I write on Sunday morning. Yesterday I squelched out into the garden to take these photos. The camera makes it look brighter than it was. It really has been a case of Darkness at Noon.
Above and below, a sadly nameless foxglove. I only bought it a few weeks ago at Decora in Elgin, but such is the pace of life at the moment that my good intentions to write the variety in my garden book came to nothing.
Below, everything that is green is lush and vibrant. A bit too lush for Scottish tastes. The growth is sappy, and that's a problem in high winds. The fern on the left is self-seeded from a now defunct fern I had in a pot. It's relishing its freedom, but is getting a bit out of hand. The alchemilla in the foreground loves the wet weather and is putting on a show of rain-drop diamonds. At the right, the spears of crocosmia are the forerunners of its red flowers in late July.
My oriental poppies are monstrous this year. They have responded to my attempts to dig them out in the autumn by putting out huge growth and massive flowers. And I thought I'd cleared every last scrap of root...
Below, a Swedish flag-themed pairing of geranium Johnson's Blue and a yellow potentilla.
Beaten down by the rain:
This was meant to be a homage to my Albertine rose, which is rambling far and wide this year. The blooms are not getting a chance to flourish in the wet conditions. In trying to capture this bloom sheltering under my dwarf plum tree I seem to have concentrated more on the wonderful fact of a decent-sized plum. We have had a total of 2 plums from the tree, but this year it has put on a spurt.
Last year we took out a scruffy conifer hedge, put up a windbreak fence, and widened the suburban strip of a border slightly. (The garden is city-centre tiny, so there's not much room to play with.) I ordered plants from Crocus - they're happily establishing in the rain, but there are very few blooms yet. A delicate exception is this Aquilegia stellata 'Ruby Port'. I know the name because I can look up my Crocus order online...
To finish, the frothy exuberance of my Hydrangea petiolaris. The bees love this, but it's been so wet that they haven't been flying. The powerful upward shoot to the left is a Clematis Jackmanii, which I leave to its own devices apart from a chop back in February each year.
More gardens from around the world, some with sunshine, are at Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.
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14 comments:
That foxglove is very unusual and very pretty - is it one of the new perennial types?
Martyn is sowing some oriental poppies as I write! YOur look beutiful in spite of attempts to do away with them.
Some lovely plants and very pretty photographs.
I'm currently very much into Aquilegias, so that "Ruby Port" one really appeals! Mind you, the red Poppy is very impressive too.
The weather Down South has been positively balmy today - why, it must have reached nearly 18 degrees... And no rain for a change.
I would love to have that pesky poppy. I can't get any kind of poppy to grow. You flowers look great even though they are soaked to the brim. Have a great spring and summer.
Happy Blogger's Bloom Day. We had rain and wind this weekend in Northern Ireland too, makes it tough on young plants. Your blooms look cheerful!
Temperate countries really have colors i prefer than the tropics, maybe because we don't see them here. I've been to Swedena and yes, that is their lovly flag color.
Oriental poppies are one of those ornery plants. Just when you try to get rid of them is when they will put on the best show. I like the blue and yellow combo - hadn't thought about the Swedish flag.
Rain and gloom in summer is so disappointing! But you did get some beautiful photos out of it. The foxglove is just stunning and I also love the aquilegia.
It looks like a rain forest in bloom!
Lovely blooms, especially the Aquilegia stellata 'Ruby Port'...a really stunner! I know what you mean about "too lush" growth...we get that here in Portland, as well. It's lovely, until the summer heat hits suddenly and everything wants to wilt!
Merci de partager ton superbe jardin avec nous. Bonne soirée.
I forgot to tell you that I am from Iowa, USA, so it will take several days for the sunshine to get to you!!
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