June's last

There appears to be around 2 weeks delay in flowering times from the gardens 2 streets down the hill to our own. This has been more noticeable this summer, and something I have been investigating all year.

I was already aware there can be around 6 weeks for seasons to cover the UK, but 2 weeks difference between 2 streets is interesting.

So my June display looks like it is more June-July, but that's gardening for you.

Velvety rich purple iris beside the pond, but no other irises around the garden have flowered as yet.

Above and below astrantias. The pink is in part shade; the white in full sun. I planted the white one temporarily in Bumblebee's plot intending to split it and replant in the pink/white bed. It's a little late now so I'll do it in the autumn.

Clematis. All jumbled up and gleaming like jewels.

A large if a little too large display of self seeded foxgloves in various shades. The best colours I shall save the seed from and improve future displays. For now they jostle with emerging Penstemons.

In Bumblebee's plot the two rhubarb plants are doing well and the strawberries beginning to ripen. We may need to net them as something has been nibbling.

He has grown flowers for cutting this year and it certainly seems to be paying off!

A couple of bouquets he has grown, including roses from around the garden.

 The front garden is beginning to fill out. We did resort to cutting back the sambuccus and thus forfeited their pink florets, but it has as least survived being transplanted.

Rosa. Maigold in bloom. The flowers are short lived but many buds are waiting for their moment to shine.

And r. Tall Story with it yellow buds but white blooms. Both have a lovely fragrance.

I think this is philadelphus...interesting but pleasant scent.

And waiting in the wings - our huge lilac hydrangea.

We bought a bigger feeder this week as the  birds were going through a standard feeder per day! Since the plastic plant pot saucer worked so well as a bird bath, we bought a larger one. We are also trialling meal worms in a feeder which so far is working brilliantly.

It's lovely to see all the baby birds lining up and fluttering to have their parents feed them. It was also very cute watching the young blackbird (who is a male going by the way his wing tips and tail are turning black, and who we watched being taught to bathe by his father) teaching the other birds how to bathe in our homemade bird bath!

Total bliss.