This S (N facing) fence is the least well covered of my boundaries. It is also very windy, as the west wind funnels down the gap between my house and my neighbours’ to the S.

The golden hop is good in summer, but dies right down in winter. The ‘Gloire de Morengo’ ivy will be good in a few years.

The acer is pretty robust. This is the first year it was scorched by a very high wind a couple of months ago, even though it wasn’t very cold.

Possible shrubs to go here:

• Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’
• Cotinus coggyria ‘Royal Purple’
• Euonymus

The abelia doing well in a pot at the front could go in the middle of the patch of persicaria, although the RHS says it needs a ‘sheltered, sunny position’.

I thought the iris was foetidissima, but it obviously isn’t. I wonder what it is and where it’s come from.
28 Jun 19
It must be ordinary yellow flag, Iris pseudacorus, although how it got here, nowhere near water, I still don’t understand. Thanks to Vaughn for the ID.

The hesperis is still doing well, and now propped up. I hadn’t realised it would get so big.
28 Jun 19
I’ve let it go to seed, rather than dead-heading it, because I’d like it to come back.

The hebe has been flowering for months, including all through winter.

Oriental poppy: one out, ten to go!

The stachys near the front door will need to be brought under control soon.

The Rosa complicata is just starting to flower. I need to prune it better next time.

Foxgloves are everywhere, but that’s fine.

This cardoon is now six feet tall, and unsupported. I suppose that’s asking for trouble. We’ll see.

This osteospermum is the only one of the four I’ve planted that’s survived. Odd, considering how well it does in other gardens round here.

There are only about 3 allium plants left from the 10 pots of sprouting bulbs I planted 3 years ago, which did really well in the first year. This is partly due to other plants overwhelming them – fair enough. Also, I let the plants go to seed, because the seed heads look very attractive. A gardener at the National Botanic Garden said they will become weaker if you don’t dead head. The solution is to plant fresh each year. I’ll try planting some bulbs myself in pots or troughs this summer, and plant them out next spring.

The clematis montana is going up the ropes well. Rosa ‘Albertine’ shouldn’t be far behind.

The solanum will need a bit of tidying up when it’s finished flowering.

The cirsium in B2 look nice.

I like the much-maligned ‘Dutch Master’, even though it is so common. It’s rather too big for a pot, but brilliant coming through the new growth of the thalictrum. Hopefully it’ll do the same thing next year.

Smaller ‘Jetfire’ works better in a pot. I don’t know what I’ll do with the pot-grown bulbs when they’ve finished. By the time the foliage has died down there’ll be nowhere to put them.

These Cardoons have grown a lot since being planted last summer, particularly in B1, so I lifted one and put it in a pot in the front.

5 Apr 19: It took a bit of a hit, but is looking fine in the pot. I’ll think about planting it out somewhere at the front.

These pieces of plywood of various sizes work well as temporary stepping stones while working in the beds. Their advantages include

• Less compaction of the soil. My weight is spread over a greater area.
• Protection of plants and bulbs. The stepping stones can be carefully placed between them.
• Less mud transferred to the paths. The shoes remain clean.