A GREAT SUCCESS

It was our village Open Gardens last weekend and it was a great success.  I think we had in the region of 800 people visit, and there were teas to be enjoyed, the Rock Choir to entertain you, Classic Cars to admire and of course a few gardens to stroll around as well.

I was rather busy last week doing some panic weeding and last minute planting in the vegetable garden.  I did write a Six but didn't publish it because it became a rant about slugs, and I promise not to mention slugs this week.

My first Six is a bowl of strawberries.  These are delicious in my opinion, although other family members may think the big ones you get from the supermarket are superior.

Number 2 slot goes to Rosa Raubritter.  Much admired by our garden visitors as it was smothered in its perfect small cabbage roses.  So sweet.  It's a procumbent rose, so needs somewhere it can fall forward in an attractive manner.  

This is Salvia Verticillata 'Purple Rain' which I saw on a list of plants used by Piet Oudolf and thought if it's good enough for Piet, then I'm going to give it a try.  Well it turns out it is pure slug bait.  I put it in a pot for reasons I won't mention but may be to protect it from slug damage and hopefully it will get planted out in the Knot Garden where there is a space awaiting it.  I'm not yet sure whether this is better than other salvias.

The White border has moved on since we last saw it.  The Iceberg roses are out and have been joined by some feverfew.  

I must point out that I never planted this,  The seeds must have already been present in the soil, and rather like forget-me-nots is always with you whether you want it or not.  Since one volunteer is worth ten pressed men (nautical analogy alert) I have decided to encourage it.  

Ok, lets get back to roses for number 5 with the cheekily named Cuisse de Nymphe Emue (or Maiden's Blush if you're being coy).  This is the first year this has looked any good, so something about the mild weather has suited it.

To finish we have my little pot stand with it's Victorian pots (and one from The Newt) filled with some Morrisons fuchsias, a blue Nemesia, small leaved hostas and a double pink geranium.  Nothing particularly expensive or unusual, but I love the overall picture it makes.

 That's all for this week folks.  Want more - then perhaps you'd like to check out the other Six on Saturday posts hosted by Garden Ruminations ?