Six on a Saturday-21.7.18

As a teacher I have now broken off for the Summer holiday. A chance to get out and enjoy the garden and get it back into order.

1. Cineraria

The cineraria is now in flower. I mainly grow this for the contrast of the silver foliage. It’s an evergreen so gives interest through the year. When it flowers it tends to spread out pretty untidily over the lawn, but the insects seem to like the small flowers.

2. Hollyhocks

The hollyhocks have finally flowered. The hot dry weather seems to have been perfect for them. The first to flower are a patch that self seeded from last years. These are the more traditional hollyhocks, but have some hollyhock carnival varieties still to flower.

3. Ophiopogon-black mondo

I have a few patches of black mondo growing in pots. It is starting to spread and hopefully can be divided at some point. While often referred to as black grass it isn’t actually a grass. Currently it is in flower with its small delicate white flowers stretching out from the leaves.

4. Verbena

I grow verbena bonariensis from seed this year and planted out a few weeks back. Last year this was still flowering in many gardens late on in Summer when a lot of other flowers were fading. The first flowers are opening. The dense spikes are ideal for butterflies. I’ve already seen the small whites coming onto these.

5. Borage

Down near the bench I allow a patch of borage to seed. Its star shaped flowers are loved by bees. It can become an untidy miss, but it keeps flowering for a good period and the bees love it. The flowers are edible and can be used as decoration on cakes or salads.

6. Succulent

For one of my end of year presents at work I got a succulent. Possibly some variety of aloe, but not really my area of expertise. I’ve brought it home for the holiday, then take it back in. I’ve been trying to add some more plants to the classroom for the kids to look after. I’ve also selected a number for the ability to improve air quality as my classroom can feel a bit stuffy. Then the positive effects of having greenery are well known.

So that’s my six for this week. The garden is full of life with the insects spoiled for choice. Enjoy your weekends. I will now be enjoying my break and getting the garden back in order after a couple of busy weeks of neglect.

12 thoughts on “Six on a Saturday-21.7.18”

  2. The black mondo grass is really pretty: I didn’t know it had a flower. I had some of the green in my last garden, but the kangaroos ate it in the winter, when they were very hungry!

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  5. Am loving that cineraria, thinking ‘untidiness’ becomes it. Great shot of the butterfly on the teasel. I featured my own ‘black grass’ in bloom this week, & think it’s probably black mondo – bought it so long ago, can’t remember. My spreads easily – sends runners underground but very close to the mother plant. And I love that you have plants in the classroom. Lucky students.

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  7. So envious of your Hollyhocks. I’ve tried several times but they succumb to rust so quickly and so badly that I end up picking all of the leaves off!
    In the other hand, my experience of Ophiopogon is that if I take my eyes off of it then it sends out loads of runners and makes a bid for freedom (and front of border domination). A better problem to have though.
    Lovely photos

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    1. They’ve suffered from rust, snails and flies, but managed to flower still. The lower leaves are not pretty, but mainly covered by the fennel. The ophiopogon is contained in pots, so isn’t going to spread. I am going to probably transfer some to part of the front garden border, but only tiny so can’t spread far.

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