The garden has been baking for the last few weeks with hot temperatures and no rain, however what a difference a day makes. A day of gentle warm rain has rescued plants that had been looking very sorry for themselves. Cans of water help but not in the way that rain does. In the last week the only gardening I have accomplished is deadheading and then only out of the glare of the midday sun. With the much longed for rain the garden now looks bright and fresh again and hopefully plants will recover and flower well. Dahlias are getting into their stride, the best at the moment is Rip City which is a very strong grower with lovely large double deep crimson flowers. I took a chance last winter and left this one in the border with a thick mulch of garden compost and it is growing better than ever. The tuber of the main plant has got so large it’s hard not to damage it if I dig it up to store overwinter so this one will stay in the garden but I will lift a couple of smaller Rip City plants later in the year to store in the shed “just in case”. I’ve also grown Dahlia Bishops Children from seed this year, plants in the borders are struggling a little but I have planted a large container with several and these are flourishing and just starting to flower.
Crocosmia Lucifer is a beautiful stately plant, it is planted next to Stipa Gigantea and currently looking stunning. This is my favourite crocosmia and well worth its place in the garden, which is more than I can say for the rather ordinary crocosmia often referred to as Montbretia. I laboriously dug a huge clump of this up last autumn, it wasn’t flowering and had completely taken over a peony. I now find it is growing rather well on top of one of the compost heaps, but still not flowering!
On the edge of a raised bed are two huge clumps of oregano with white flowers, not particularly showy but favourites nonetheless, mainly due to the insect life they attract. Currently these plants are literally heaving with dozens of honey bees, bumble bees, butterflies and other insect life. I’ve been privileged this morning to sit on the grass right next to these plants observing the industry of the bees. They are so intent on their work that they have completely ignored my presence and I haven’t been stung. I won’t stay close for too long though, you never know when they may change their minds … ! My photography skills are not up to capturing an image that does justice to the sheer hard work being carried out by these bees, however I was pleased to photograph a Small Copper butterfly making a brief visit.
Penstemons are short lived perennials and this year some of my older plants aren’t flowering quite so well, although I do always take cuttings so that I don’t completely lose them. A particular favourite is Penstemon Pensham Plum Jerkum which is generally strong growing and has deep maroon flowers. I also grow a pink penstemon which may or may not be Hidcote Pink, P.Bodnant (bluish purple flowers), P.Garnet (deep bright red) and P.Margery Fish (pale blue with hint of purple).
I seem to be amassing quite a collection of Daylilies, ranging in colour from creamy yellow to deep purple. Although each individual flower only lasts a day now that the plants are bulking up we have had daylilies in flower for several weeks. They are all favourites, unfortunately I seem to lose the name labels as quickly as I put the plants in the garden but I can enjoy the flowers without knowing their official names!
Tales from a Country Garden 
I have been desperate to have lucifer flowering here for a long time. I think our garden is too shady to be ideal. I am therefore envious of your clump. We have a few blooms this year. 😀
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