WOW! TIME IN THE GARDEN - A LONGERBLOG

Let me not mess - there are some stunning flowers in the garden at the moment besides the roses. So here are a few - poppy, iris, peony and another poppy. The blue meconopsis is a challenge - if I can find the right balance of shade and humidity it will thrive but so far I have failed. I think I will try down by the pond - prepare a small area with some old compost and leaf mould - and hope. Sue gave me two pots of seedings yesterday so here goes.

The last one is a surprise - I suppose I must have scattered some wild poppy seed on the banking by the veg beds at some time and voila!

Talking, well writing, about poppies I have cut back those in the oriental poppy bed, lightly forked the soil, weeded and added a bit of hen manure as a boost. The plants will regrow and hopefully we will have a second if smaller flowering later in the year.

Weeding carries on as it always does with three items this year being a pain - bindweed - less than last year, goosegrass more so and the ever spreading creeping buttercup.

The Rambling Rector roses are just getting going whereas the clematis montana is now over. Here is a beautiful example seen recently in Kelton near Castle Douglas.

This is the path leading down to the cutting bed and veg and fruit garden. The pink geranium on the right makes a good edging and geraniums are another plant that needs shearing back after flowering for a second blooming in the autumn.

These Sweet Williams in the cutting bed are biennial so they are flowering in their third year here! so something-ennial!

I have tried to net some of the red currants but every time I go down there blackbirds are hopping about in the bushes.

The rain has refreshed the pond and the white waterlilies are flowering. 

It is so good to see all the young greenfinches on the feeder as they almost disappeared for a few years due to Trichomonosis.
The chaffinch numbers seems to remain steady and, of course we have been blessed by a pair of bullfinches this year.

A young tree sparrow just tried to head the window to my study but seems all right as it has flown straight back to the peanut feeder.

Now I might like to think that my garden has some good points but Sue's cottage garden is fantastic - as is her pond (much bigger)(though she does have resident greylag geese and as they youknowhat all over the lawn in large quantities one has to watch one's step).

She also has island beds (something R is not keen on) and this mixture of violas and Sweet Williams works so well.

And to finish - some more single flowers or flower heads - Allium (I think Christophii), Philadelphus Belle Etoile and the main alstroemeria from the cutting garden - a punchy red.

Enough for now.
My golf is suffering (and so am I). And if I am suffering on the course so are everyone around as I mutter loudly to myself. 
I have not mentioned compost or Putin . .  yes I have - Ah! Well.

I shall sign off with the Mamas and the Papas singing 'It's Getting Better' then 'Dream a Little Dream of Me.'
So I'll say nighty-night . . .

Actually it is only ten to five in the afternoon.

But it is raining so . . .