SUN!

Firstly apologies for being AWOL last Saturday.  I'd been on a botanical watercolour course all week and hadn't been in the garden at all, let alone taken any photos to share with you all.  So  I was relaxing on the sofa enjoying my Friday evening and only realised once it was too late. But never mind, because I'm back and the weather has been properly summery and what with that, and all the rain, the garden is flowering its socks off.

A few overviews of the Long Border to start with and then we will get stuck into the detail.  That little Summer house half way along was already here when we moved in although there were no borders here.  It is well located though as it catches the last of the evening sun making it the perfect place for an aperitif.  

Look at those lovely blue skies.  I had to make sure I was mostly working in the shade because I was finding it too hot yesterday.

These kniphofia were feeling right at home in the sunshine.  This is a big beast but due to the lovely birdies or worms pulling out the labels I'm not sure which big beastie it is.  If it has read the catalogue and knows which month it is supposed to flower in then it should be uvaria Nobilis, otherwise it is Rooperi, which is supposed to be later.  They are a lovely bright orange and don't let my camera persuade you otherwise.

I don't water the Long Border and it has to get by on the rainfall, (OK I did water it last year a couple of times when I thought the plants were going to die) so some years it does better than others.  The Dahlias were poor last year, but this year they have grown to show bench size.

Khama Naomi has been with me for years and produces the most enormous tubers that have to be planted straight into the ground at the end of April as I have no pots big enough for them.

Indian Summer hasn't been with me for as long, but is a definite favourite.  Your Bishops of Llandaff and Canterbury are all lovely and very dark and mysterious, but there's no missing this one in a crowd.  It's a proper 'allotment' Dahlia.

Tiger Lily of course, glowing gloriously.  Dear Gertrude has these on her Long Border plan but I've mainly switched to using African Queen as they are taller.  These are a more attractive shape though I think.

Next up Rudbeckia Goldsturm, and if this doesn't feature in most Six on Saturdays this week I will be most surprised.  What a good doer/ rampant spreader * (delete as appropriate).  

Right next to that Rudbeckia is this Dahlia which you will remember from previous years because of its name - Zundert Mystery Fox.  How delightfully bonkers.

I was already to find one more to make the total up to six, but I'm already there!  So no more for you, even if you wanted it.  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.