MANY MORE PLANTS FROM THE LONG BORDER

There's a lot happening in the garden and it's hard to choose only six photos, so I'm having to double up and have the bee and butterfly photo all in one.

I was given this plant as an offset from someone's garden.  I find that sometimes gifted plants are are bit of a thug - there's a reason why they have some to give away!  I think it's Telekia.  Its flowers are somewhat shaggy ( I suspect Gertrude Jekyll would describe them as 'rank'), but it's leaves are rather good.  It's a plant that needs some space.

With so much rain about the garden has grown rather lush.  A couple of weeks ago I noticed these low yew hedges were due a cut. They are now so tall it's no longer possible to see where they should be cut back to.  I've just had to go at them with the hedge trimmer and hope for the best.

I have a pair of Gothic Vases whose contents change with the seasons.  They stand either side of the steps to the rose garden, but they have never contained roses.  Totally remiss of me I now realise.  Luckily I came to my senses and bought Rosa 'The Fairy' to fill each one.  These are now spreading out well and hiding the edges of their pot.  

But not all is rosey chez Bailey.  The rain has also meant excellent growing conditions for our native/resilient/rewilding plants, or as we gardeners used to call them - weeds.  Look at this innocent, if overgrown, shrub border  - and then look again.

Yes - it is a stinging nettle in full flower which is taller than me.  I'm going to have to get some serious protective equipment on to tackle that one. 

More weeds next (according to our New Zealand friends) or Agapanthus as we call them over here.  

The large showy ones are in the Rose Garden whereas these more floppy ones (although they are offspring of the above) are in the Long Border where they are keeping company with some wonderfully bright orange marigolds.

At the other end of the Long Border are these pink Echinacea.  They were grown from those weeny mail order plugs and took years to get going.  They are looking lovely now though.

There was much more to show you, but not everything can fit in a Six on Saturday.  Perhaps there will be room for them next week.  Thank you for stopping by. and don't forget all the Six on Saturday posts can be found on Garden Ruminations where Jim collates all our garden ramblings.