LUPINS AND ALLIUMS

 Apologies up front about this weeks Six on Saturday.  It's all pretty pictures this week, so for those of you who like a good list of interesting plants or gardening jobs, I'm afraid it will be a bit of disappointment.  But the fact is the garden doesn't look this good for very long and so I'm showing off  making the most of it.  

That old Chelsea favourite, the allium, is out.  These are 'Purple Sensation', mixing in with pink and purple Aquilegias in a self sown free for all.

There are alliums in the Knot garden too.  In the foreground of this picture, between the lupins, is Allium Gladiator, whose flower heads will get bigger than this as they mature (I hope).  It's supposed to be one of the big ones.  In the far corner the May tree is covered in white blossom.  Is it time to cast those clouts? 

This view is along the pink and dark red border, with Iris 'Red Zinger' (yes  - the name  does make me wince) in the foreground and Iris 'Superstition' just behind and to the left.  

In the white section, a froth of cow parsley handily hides the rather weed ridden base of the hedge.  I found what I think was a sow thistle as tall as me in there this week!  But let us focus instead on the foxgloves (look - no pink ones!) and the swath of white and pale blue Iris instead.

The border gradually moves from white to blue and purple, with Valeriana pyrenaica and Allium 'Purple Rain' joining the lupins and Iris here.

The lupins were grown from seed and self seed to some extent, and some naughty peachy ones have crept in here.  I will move them, and due to their long thong like roots, they will hate it and pretend they are going to die, but will probably pull through in the end.

Leaving the Knot Garden for the Gold and Silver Garden (a new name I'm trying out on you to see how it goes down), is Rosa 'Golden Showers', which whom I have a love/hate relationship.

How could I complain about something willing to put on such a gorgeous display of blooms?  And yet I have to admit there is something about the sharp yellow that sets my teeth on edge.

The camera never quite captures the true 'highlighter yellow', instead turning them a more tasteful Cornish cream, so that you will all be wondering what on earth I am making such a fuss about.

To finish with, because I think I must have reached number six by now, we have an elevated shot of the Rose Garden, taken by me standing on the garden table (don't tell anyone!).  On the right are yet more Iris and on the left the Oriental Poppy 'Victoria Louise'.

Sadly, I think Box blight may have arrived.  This week I noticed some brown spots and streaks on the new leaves.  I hope I'm wrong.

Thanks as always to the the Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.