Summer Plants and Winter Frost

I was looking out over the front garden just the other week and was thinking you wouldn't know it isn't summer. The garden looked in full bloom with hydrangeas, lavenders, roses, daphne and honeysuckle still flowering. Many of the summer annuals were still flowering in their pots - in fact they've looked so lovely I haven't got around to swapping them over with winter bedding plants yet. I've usually replanted the pots and baskets long before now, but it's been a mild autumn and the plants have been thriving rather than dying back. It seemed a shame to uproot them for new ones yet. 

As November came to an end, December and the meteorological beginning of winter arrived - officially winter and with it came the cold, ice and heavy frost. The heavy frost turned the garden into a whole new world of white, transforming its look and all the plants into something new and magical. 

Of course, those last summer plants have begun to fade now after the heavy frost and it's time to get my skates on and replace them with some winter bedding before the year is out. It's a milder week weatherwise so it's an ideal time to put the garden to bed for winter, do a last tidy and visit the garden centre before the winter bedding plants are all sold out and replaced with Christmas trees and Christmas decorations. 

Palaces and Plants in Prague

We visited Prague recently and were blessed with the most beautiful weather - full sun,  clear blue skies and just a hint of autumn in the air - perfect for exploring and photography. As always, on our walkabouts I kept my eye out for any flowers and greenery. 

Prague feels as though it's surrounded by hillsides and woodland greenery - the trees framing the terracotta rooftops of the city. The trees looked particularly colourful as they were just starting to turn shades of yellows and russet. 

Prague has an absolutely stunning Unesco World Heritage site that comprises of Prague castle, palaces, cathedral and churches. Prague castle is situated prominently on a hill looking over the city and has some pretty stretches of garden set amongst trees. The view of the city over the treetops is a particularly beautiful one. 

As always in a city there were some pretty window and balcony displays still in full bloom during the autumn. 

 Wenceslas Square has some stunning box hedge gardens, which give some greenery to the magnificent backdrop of the National Museum. There are cafes surrounded by colourful baskets and pots on this vibrant and lively boulevard as well as large beds of cosmos and white fragrant roses. 

And I managed to spot a little wildlife, enjoying the tree lined Vitava River - swans enjoying the sun and pigeons nestling in the statues on Charles Bridge! Prague is a most amazing and stunning city.

July in the Garden

July is pretty spectacular in the garden this year. I've been really pleased with the new planting in the front garden where we had a big overgrown tree chopped down earlier in the year. We deliberately tried to choose plants that would come at their best during June and July and be a magnet for the butterflies and bees. We picked various colours of blue, lilacs, purples with a few pink and white plant varieties too. 

The weather conditions during the last year have been good for breeding butterflies and we seem to have literally created our very own butterfly garden, so I've been delighted. Planting out new plants and just seeing how they turn out and what unfolds can be so rewarding! 

Varying heights of purple wallflowers and different varieties of lavender. 

Butterfly enjoying the blue catmint. All the blue and purple plants have been covered in butterflies. Every time we come out of the house and walk past this area we are treated to dozens of butterflies fluttering up from the plants. It has been fascinating, you find yourself stopping and staring, it's not so good if you are in a rush! 

Enjoying some verbena, which is now out in full. 

Delphiniums are out at the back of the borders. 

Wallflowers, lobelia and geraniums make a good combination by the back patio. 

The water lilies are just beginning to flower now, the pond is full of their leaves and blooms. 

Bright pink carnations make a great colour combination with the bronze leaves and pink flowers of the heuchera. 

Sidalcea malviflora flowering in the back border. 

The tomatoe baskets are full of fruit and are ripening nice and early with all the hot sunshine we've been having. 

There are still plenty of foxgloves blooming and popping up in all different places. I love the colour combinations of this one. 

I've made a few pots full of wildflowers planted from seed and they are looking great at the moment, full of vibrant colours. Cornflowers are one of my favourites, I love this shade of blue. 

We have quite a few hebe plants flowering in pinks, blues and purples, another good one for the butterflies! 

There are lots of these little froglets around. We have to look out for them jumping into the house. The pond is full of frogs, when we have the heavy showers we've had recently they all seem to come out of the pond and jump across the garden. It's a mass exodus of frogs and quite entertaining and funny to watch!