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. 

Midsummer Garden

June and Midsummer's Day has passed and now we've reached July. I always think that June and July are spectacular months in the garden - a culmination of all that you wait for during those dark months of winter. 

There are so many plants blooming and flowering that it's difficult to be able to give each one the appreciation they deserve, but here are few of my favourities from the garden this June. 

Delphiniums and foxgloves amongst the wallflowers

Pots of wallflowers, cotton lavenders and begonias

Shades of poppies amongst verbena, daisies and irises

Lupin time

Perlargoniums and begonia pots

A summer favourite - sweet peas

Nothing like picking your own raspberries

The sweet smell of a summer honeysuckle

Campions and lavenders

Salvias in different varieties 

Summer isn't complete without the heady scent of roses

Hebe foaming on the rockery

Bees and bright cotton lavenders

Take a Look at Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland

Barnsdale Gardens are situated in the county of Rutland, Britain's smallest county. They are made up of a series of 39 individual gardens in an 8 acre site. They were used for the filming of Gardeners World, when Geoff Hamilton used to present the series. July is a lovely time to visit when many of the gardens are full of bloom and looking colourful. Here are just a few of the highlights we saw during our visit.

The Lands' End Garden. A vivid beach hut, gravel and vibrant crocosia in bloom, representing the seaside. 

Daisies making a cool display of colour. 

Terracotta pots and geraniums in the greenhouse - always a favourite!

Sit down and relax for a while!

Astilbes in a shady, cool pond area.

Flowering hosta in the hosta beds.

Beautiful lily opening out in the formal pool and knot garden. Can you see the tiny hoverfly?

Unusual little statue statue in the lily pool - trickling with water and weed.

Beautiful honeysuckle weaving over a trellised walkway. 

Raindrops on the lily!

The entrance to the Artisan's Cottage garden, my favourite garden!

There is always something about a terracotta pot in my eyes...

Quiet little reading area enclosed in roses.

Now I would love a water butt like this one!

Fragrant lilies and delphiniums giving some vivid colour in the borders.