Hot July

A little sunny and hot weather and the bright flaming colours of the July plants start coming into their best. The reds of the perlargonium pots, the oranges of the crocosias and vivid pink shades of the begonias are tempered and softened by the gentle, soft hues of the lavenders, hydrangeas and anenomes, which are also springing into bloom. 

Honeysuckle and climbing roses are racing up the walls and trellises in full flower now and giving off heady scents in the hot sunshine and balmy nights. The archway around the front door is swathed in honeysuckle and I keep finding myself stopping and loitering for a few minutes under the front porch, as I breathe in the beautiful perfume that lingers. The rose and honeysuckle tend to flower on and on all summer and will often continue through into December if the weather remains mild. 

This is always a magnificent time in the garden, the whole garden a jumble of spectacular colour; the whole garden buzzing with bees and butterflies amongst the froth of flowers. 

August Garden

We've been lucky this summer to enjoy so much sunshine and it's been a real pleasure to be able to spend so many days and evenings purely enjoying the garden. 

The lavenders have been in full bloom, full of bees and butterflies and their perfume strong in the balmy heat. Hebes have looked gorgeous in their calming pastel shades of pink, blue and purple. I always love the hydrangeas at this time of year, persistantly giving us a show of large colourful flowerheads in dazzling pinks, blues, purples and softer whites and knowing they will bloom through until autumn. 

The gentle pinks of daphne and the vibrant purple of the tall verbenas wafting in the summer breeze are also a delight that carry us on through those early autumn months. The roses are enjoying continuously flowering, many of them giving a second late summer flush. 

My absolute favourite has to be the crocosia with its bright flame orange flowers. It always brings the garden back to life in late summer, lighting it with dazzling colour, refecting the subtle change of the seasons as high summer seemlessly runs to late summer and then the months of early autumn. The vivid orange of the flowers is like a beacon signalling the intense heat of August, but also preparing us for the russets, golds and red shades of autumn. 

There's something quite special about picking your own flowers for inside the house at this time of year too ...

Plants by the Lake - on Garda, Italy

Situated in the mountains of Northern Italy, we enjoyed some time in Riva on the northern tip of Lake Garda. It's a stunning place with the dramatic turquoise of the huge lake and abundant with lush green foliage and plants set amidst the rugged mountain ranges. Lake Garda is situated halfway between Verona and Grescia and halfway between Venice and Milan. 

The climate is ideal for typical Mediterranean plants with the hot summer months and mild winters, but there can be rainfall especially in spring and late autumn, hence the lucious greenery and abundance of  colourful plants. There is a lovely cooling wind called the Ora, which blows down from the south each day, giving a unique, but predictable and pleasant climate, especially in the hot summer months. 

Riva is a colourful place, there are plenty of typical Mediterranean plants and the front promenades and gardens are full of bougenvillia - trees, plants and small shrub varieties - in arrays of mixed pastel and vibrant colours. The area has plenty of exotic palms mixed with cypress and willow trees fringe parts of the lake. They provide welcome shade in the heat of the day. 

High summer plants edge the lakes and pools of the gardens and parks - agapanthus with its blue hues, the bright oranges of crocosia and purples of buddleia bushes. There are plenty of summer rose beds giving off heady scents in the heat and I think the cream scented flowers on the yucca plants must be the best I've ever seen. 

Holehird Gardens Cumbria

This is the Lakeland Horticultural Society's flagship garden, set on a hillside as you drive from Windermere and follow the signs to Ullswater towards the Kirkstone Pass. As you reach the gardens you are rewarded with a most magnificent view over a pond and woodland areas reaching out across the valley towards Lake Windermere in the distance. 

The gardens are worked by volunteer members of the Lakeland Horticultural Society and many were happily busy about their work as we had a wander through the gardens. It felt as though we could just pick up a garden trowell or hoe and join them. 

Glorious views of the Lakeland valleys and mountain tops.

Holehird houses a stunning collection of hydrangeas.

There are a series of ponds with waterfalls, pools and rock garden areas.

Beautiful foliage of all colours.

Stunning crocosia.

Our visit was in late August and there were stunning displays of vivid autumnal colours.

Beautiful anemones giving a wonderful show.

A view of the stunning walled garden.

Colourful arrays of heather in the rock garden areas.

A peaceful place on the hillside to sit and enjoy a peek of Lake Windermere.

Pretty display of mixed flowers in the courtyard.