Drowning in Roses

Strawberries and zuccini

Lobelia, pansies and borage

Nepeta "Six Hills Giant", lavender, artemesia

Icebergs

The front garden has repaid all my effort this year a thousand-fold. Bees and butterflies buzz and flutter amidst a tumbling profusion of miniature, bush and standard roses as well as catmint, pansies and cosmos. The sea-foam roses are as frothy as their name suggests and they are happily drowning the dying daffodil leaves I wrote about in my last post. 

A couple of years ago I planted lemon-scented geranium next to the front gate. The plant is not remarkable in its beauty, but the idea was that one would release the intoxicating lemonade scent when brushing past the leaves. Unfortunately violent crushing, rather than elegant brushing, was required to release the scent. I left the geranium where it was, despite the failed experiment and it took over that area of the garden with its straggly, springy stems. I pulled it out last weekend and transferred the lavender grosso from the back garden as a substitute. I also planted some pale blue, pink and white petunias. Vita would be horrified. I'm fairly confident she would hate petunias. 

Lavender Grosso and petunias 

About a month ago I sowed some heirloom tomato seeds I found that were out of date. They all germinated, so I have planted them out in a pot and in the back rose garden with a some basil seedlings. I removed most of the pomegranate tree a few weeks ago because it did nothing and threw one of the roses in the shade. I left a little bit, which is still growing and I will train a small tree. The formerly overshadowed rose, a pale pink, very droopy David Austin, is now flowering for the first time.