elegance and flowers

Yeah, I have a car now so I can get to other garden centres and open gardens, starting this next month! Bring it on. (If I can breathe ).

If the roses in my garden are anything to go by it is going to be a good year for roses - except those that fall down

Same here WW, rose are magnificent, new blooms every morning.

None of my roses are in bloom yet. The climber, despite my best attentions, is slowly losing its leaves to rust again. I sprayed it and it seemed to be looking ok, but I seem to be taking a handful of affected leaves off most days. It's covered in buds; shame, but I think it will have to go at the end of this season. None of the other roses seem to be affected. A very good show of geum Mrs Bradshaw this year though. I was absolutely livid yesterday to find that the square stone planter outside my front door which was full of fuschias just coming into flower had been attacked by cats and most of the plants and soil were on the floor.

Just braved the wind and rain. Some minor damage and things blown over, but nothing that won't recover. Our banana has lost its new leaves, but it grows so fast that they will be replaced in a few weeks. The rambling rose through our apple tree is hanging down across the path, but I can tie it back in when the weather improves.

I like Monty,what's not to like,as to Corben,good grief,there's no comparison.

It's the first year my cottage garden borders are really blending without any gaps- most of my plants were brought from our UK garden. All perennials, and I can assure you no pot marigolds in sight! Just about to burst- can't wait for the peonies and even more, the massive tree peony which seemed ver sad the first two years- but he now amazing, with massive dark flowers. I saw one about 1/4 of the size at the French garden centre yesterday- 64.50 Euros!!

The secret of a great cottage garden is continuation- so that when some flowers finish, others come into flower, and so on- here from May to October- so must Chelsea chop some cranesbill and phlox, etc, next week so they don't all flower at once. And a bit of madness and tolerance too- I have aqualegia of dozens of colours, including double bonnets- which self seed, and borage too- not always where I would have planned them. But I let them get on with it-unless they are truly in the way or over-shadowing other plants I want to protect (had to pull some out from around a rose, as it was being suffocated). Coloured Swiss chard, purple fennel, some mints- do mix well too. Just love it- and perfect for an old Vicarage 429 years old.

Gertrude Jekill (sp?) is my guide, and Beth Chatto too.

Unfortunately, DH has a special affection for pot marigolds. I thought I'd got rid of them all this year, systematically pulling them out, but he was delighted when he found some straggly seedlings growing at the back of the border.