Rain and open garden

The garden is open for NGS charities tomorrow (Sunday 23rd July) afternoon, but torrential rain is knocking the remaining lily blossoms onto the ground as well as much else. I know we need rain but I do hope it stops on Sunday as viewing the garden under umbrellas in July was not what I had anticipated.

The gravel bed looks wonderful and is filled with dancing heads of Allium carinatum subsp. pulchellum, both the white and lilac forms. They are resilient and should withstand the downpour. Most of the lavender is pretty much finished and I gently trimmed both lavender and santolina (cotton lavender) the other day.

Gravel bed

Allium carinatum subsp. pulchellum

Allium carinatum subsp. pulchellum f. album

Buddlejas are in flower but where are all the butterflies? There are depressingly few this year. White shasta daisies (Leucanthemum × superbum) and Geranium pratense ‘Plenum Violaceum’ provide shape and colour in the central bed, where Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ is just starting to open.

Leucanthemum × superbum

Leucanthemum × superbum

Geranium pratense ‘Plenum Violaceum’

I am delighted by the impact of my new Helianthus salicifolius (willow-leaved sunflower). It is a magnificent erect foliage plant, now more than 6 feet tall, and after another few years, should make a substantial clump. I am not sure what I will think of the yellow daisies, when they finally appear, but I hope they will provide a pleasing contrast to the adjacent michaelmas daisies:  Aster laevis ‘Arcturus’  with purple flowers over very dark, almost black stems and Aster novae-angliae ‘Marina Wolkonsky’ with very dark purple flowers.

 

 

Moths and Lilies

The lilies have been magnificent- my first serious attempt to grow them. The scent from the pots of Lilium regale drifts around the patio and is a real treat when we sit outside. Sadly they will soon be over (the hot weather has not helped) and I have resolved to supplement the collection with some which will flower later next year, but I am only going to plant scented lilies and be more careful about the colours . I like “Yellow County” although it has no scent, but “Forever Susan” (which I really chose because of the name) is a rather garish orange-purple mix and again has no scent, so I will not be upset of she does not reappear in 2018.

Lilium regale

Yellow County

Forever Susan

The warm weather has been good for moths. I ran my moth trap and amongst the 32 species in the trap the next morning were 4 varieties of hawkmoth – Privet, Lime, Elephant and Poplar- what a treat. I released them with great care, hiding them in the shrubs, in the hope that the birds would not find them.  I also trapped a Scarlet Tiger, which often flies during the day, and a Buff Arches, a moth which looks just like a piece of flint. Sadly the numbers of moths have decreased over the years, but I avoid sprays and am happy to supply foodplants for both adults and caterpillars.

Elephant Hawkmoth

Lime Hawkmoth

Privet Hawkmoth

Scarlet Tiger

Buff Arches

The hot bed is soon going to be full of colour. Heleniums (yellow and orange), Knautia macedonica (purple) and Coreopsis verticillata (yellow) are all in flower. I seem to have lost my lovely orange potentilla “William Rollinson”- I must investigate to see what has happened. I also realised that a  self-seeded purple fennel had inserted itself on top a previously large clump of the purple egg-headed late-flowering Allium sphaerocephalon. I have removed the fennel with difficulty and found few  surviving alliums- just in time!

Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’

Helenium ‘El Dorado’

Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’

Knautia macedonica