July blooms

The garden is in full swing at the moment with the summer blooms and the plants going through the  transition of flower to veg. Just a few snapshots of the atmosphere in the garden today.

Lavender Hidcote

An alpine dianthus

 Sweet Pea Saint Ann

The mature roses have been producing very fragrant flowers

I have yet to snap a photo, but I love how bees have to open the "petal door" in order to get to the nectar

I have managed to grow 3 begonia plants from seed. I feel very accomplished that I have managed but I'm not sure I will do this again as I sowed them on January and they have taken this long to get big, etc. 

The only survivor of some zinnias sown from a free packet of seeds that came with a magazine

I sowed 2 courgette seeds directly, and 2 in pots in the greenhouse. The snails/slugs destroyed the seedlings outdoors, so I have mollycoddled the other 2. They are growing nicely in the metal bucket. I'm wondering whether they are too big to have 2 in this space, we'll see. 

In the middle of the courgettes I have a cucumber plant growing. As a novice, I didn't know they needed something to grow up, so I have now tied it to a bamboo cane and it seems to be happier. 

The buddleia is a bush I will want to have in our forever home if we have the space. The bees love it and you can let it grow as much or as little as you like.  

The sweet peas have surprised me. The scent is amazing and I have managed to get some nice cut flowers for the house. They don't last long once you cut them, but they smell great.

 My cut flower patch has definitely grown! The bunny tail grass is out, which I will show another day, and I can see the flowers are about to burst open! I already have some showing their face. All these were directly sown and perhaps that is why it has taken them longer to germinate given the wet and cold spring we have had.

My geraniums have also bloomed! I grew these from seed as well, together with the begonias. The leaves go a bright pink colour if they lack water, at least I think that is the reason! I am unsure whether they will live on if I prune them or if they will die after they flower. 

 Last, but not least, our venus fly rap! She has been doing really well in eating flies that come in through the window. We didn't know they flowered as well! We'd like to get a pitcher plant in the future. Boyfriend is not interested in the garden, but as a scientist he is fascinated by these carnivorous plants.