THE WEATHER -

The month began with very heavy showers all day on the 1st, but better weather on the 2nd. Becoming colder by the 4th, and colder still as the week progressed, with some sunny days, but a northerly wind making it feel very cold for the time of year. Remaining cold until the 16th when the wind finally turned and warmer weather arrived. Very hot by the 19th, with the highest temperatures of the year so far. Continuing very hot and sunny until the 24th, when heavy rain and thunderstorms all day brought the heatwave to an end. Still dull and rainy on the 25th, but warm sunny weather returing on the 26th, and continuing until the 28th, when heavy rain and thunderstoms in the evening returned. Dull for most of the day on the 29th, with thunderstorms returning in the late afternoon and evening. Maximum temperature 34°C (90°F). Minimum temperature only 4°C (40°F).

There are still many Clematis in flower in the garden this month, and I was very pleased to see that this one, which is called Clematis florida alba plena, has done extremely well this year. I planted one of these about three years ago, but it succumbed to Clematis wilt, and although many Clematis recover from this if cut back to the ground, this one never did. However, because it is such a beautiful Clematis, with double pale green flowers, ageing to pure white, I just had to buy another one to replace the original. It flowered for the first time last year, and I was desperately disappointed to see that the few flowers it carried were very weak and weedy-looking - not a patch on the lovely original one I had bought. However, this year, what a difference! The flowers are every bit as beautiful as the original, and the plant is a mass of them. Obviously, it just needed time to establish and get its roots down, or perhaps it was the threat of being dug up and thrown out that did it!!!

I'm very fond of herbaceous perennials, because they give such good value for money! They are generally easy to grow from seed, they increase in size each year, and they give a wonderful show of colour in the garden. What more could anyone ask? This one is called Lychnis chalcedonica, or Maltese Cross. It is a tall plant, growing to around 3ft in my garden, with hairy light green leaves, and large heads of pure red flowers. It's very easy to propagate, either from seed, splitting root ball, cuttings in spring, or as I found out this year, just the tops of the stems which have been broken off stuck into the ground! My dog Toby decided that the quickest route to catch a squirrel was straight through my plant, and consequently he knocked the tops off about four stems. Not having the time to do much about it, I just stuck them into the ground alongside the main clump, and they actually took root and have grown into small plants which will increase as the years go by!

Philadelphus coronarius is a deciduous shrub with light green leaves and arching stems which bear a profusion of wonderfully fragrant white flowers. Its common name is Mock Orange, a name it shares with other plants not related to it! The branches on mine are weighed down with flowers this month, and the smell as I walk round the garden is just heavenly! Once the flowers are over, I will cut the flowering stems back to promote healthy new growth which will flower next year.

Flower arrangers are well-known for loving green flowers! Here's one of those - it's called Zantedeschia "Green Goddess", and its flowers are green with a white centre. It's a herbaceous perennial which likes plenty of moisture, even enjoying growing in a pond or on the banks of one. I've been looking for a decent sized and reasonably priced plant for some time, and finally found one! I think I'll plant it in a pot, as Zantedeschias don't seem to do very well in the ground in my garden, although I don't know why!

Heucheras are amongst my favouite plants, and I've got many different varieties of them. They are evergreen, which makes them very useful for flower arranging as they can be used all the year round. They come in many different leaf colours, from green marbled, through brown, purple, lime green and orange. This one is called ''Créme Brûlèe'', and has wonderfully coloured leaves. I saw it recently and just had to have it! Heucheras benefit from being split and replanted regularly, as they tend to deteriorate over time and become leggy.

That's all for this month...... Happy Gardening!!

Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Crow, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Robin, Rook, Seagull, Starling, Swallow, Thrush, Wood Pigeon, Wren.

TIME
Ursula Prout

Time fain would linger here amid the flowers
That lend their beauty to the summer’s day,
But lo, the sundial, guardian of the hours,
Lets not one moment linger by the way.

Quiet shadows lengthen in the noonday’s glare,
As wends the sun to westward of the sky,
And thoughts are lost in wonder, unaware
Of time and how so soon it passes by.

But so it is when beauty takes command,
The lovely things of God arrest the sight,
And gazing on the wonders of His hand,
Time has no part to play in our delight.