This is said to produce flowers, and possibly fruits, but I’ve never seen either. It’s a bit overshadowed by the solanum and the summer jasmine, but good at this time of the year.

5 May 19

Here are some flowers

Neither of these plants are where they started, but who cares?

The large pink lacecap in B2 against the E fence was very heavily pruned. The idea is to make it appear to grow up the fence.

‘Bluebird’ got a bit tall last year. Hopefully, I’ve cut it low enough this year.

The white mophead in F3 was unproblematic.

Looking good today

I’ll cut it back harder in future years when it’s a bit stronger

There are three plants right at the front. (Actually four, but the closest two are effectively one.) They’re too big and too uniform, although I love their flowers and their toughness.

I’ve tried to treat the three clumps in three different ways.

The one in the middle has been cut to the ground, and some plants from the National Botanic Garden planted around it on 30th March – possibly temporarily.

The other two have been cut back to a better size. The one on the left has also had about a third of the thick old stems cut to the ground.

The symphytum, tulip and skimmia were all in the garden when I arrived, but I moved the skimmia – from a pot, I think.

The fritillaries have done much better in a pot than in a border at the back. This is the third year they’ve flowered in the same pot without any attention.

It was a wrench to cut back the epimedium leaves because they were gorgeous, but it does show off the flowers nicely.

The bellis was surplus from Dyffryn. Dame Edna would be proud.

5 Apr: the clematis is still going strong. It’s been flowering for about a month. I’m looking forward to it covering more of the rather ugly fence.

I won this marsh marigold in the raffle at the HPS meeting last week.

I must make sure it doesn’t overwhelm the bleeding heart just behind it. It’s said to be vigorous

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.

I got the daisy from a friend. Several years ago I tried to get it out of the pot. I’m glad I couldn’t.