Fabulous Friday

Today is a good day, and for many reasons, but more of that later. There are to come quite a lot of photos, but being fellow plant enthusiasts, I hope that you can understand the need to sharesuch pleasures. Firstly though, a tale of woe!

We did have a beautiful Berberis 'Rose Glow', and I have shown a picture of it and it's wonderfully spectacular new growth in a previous post. Yesterday it was there in all it's glory, but today, what was once a stunning purple shrub crowned with pale pink new shoots, is now what I am showing you with a tear in my eye.......sniff!

Quite literally overnight, an infestation of Berberis Sawfly caterpillars have eaten every leaf, and I do mean EVERY leaf!

What does one do at a time like this?............SPRAY THE VERMIN!

I can only hope that I am not too late to save her, time will tell and I will keep you posted.

It's been a frantic and very hard week. Very hot and humid weather, lots of hedge trimming and mowing etc, nineteen properties during this week alone. I also had forgotten about some turfing that I had promised and so hastily collected the new turf from Eco Composting and set about laying it as the sun came up. The area now covered in grass used to contain Senecio Greyii and Hypericum 'Hidcote', but both had over the years suffered severely with drought and so needed to come out. I think the end result is better anyway and highlights nicely the Cotoneaster with it's lovely white flowers, and red berries to come.

Now onto what is as it's best in our garden at the mo. The red lily above is looking fantastic and we are both so pleased with it.s colour but don't know what variety it is. If any of you kind souls can tell us please, please do.

The Lotus bertholotii has started to flower now. Not the most conspicuous of flowers but stunning if one takes the time to look closely.

We like verbenas but don't bother remembering the individual variety names as new ones come out each year and changes occur so often. Nice purple one though!

The Wierd Sempervivum that apeared earlier is about to flower.....more to come.

Another Sempervivum that we bought this year is doing well and producing little young ones.

Another Verbena.

The Red Currant is fruiting the best it has so far. Looking forward to having some of those berries, maybe with a little cream!

The individual potted Petunia is flowering like a trooper.

The Callibrachoa is doing well, but as it's in a small pot needs to be watered regularly.

Another Verbena.

The very simple flowers of Lobelia 'Cambridge Blue'. These are usually included in bedding schemes, but we have just put three into a 12 cm terracotta pot and the effect is good because it is such a true blue.

And.....................another Verbena!

So, why is today a good day? Well, apart from being the end of not just another week, but a very tough week, it also marks the official start of our holiday week. Having not had a break since Christmas, it is sorely needed. A leisurely day of coffee and beach walking tomorrow, along with packing in the afternoon, and then on Sunday it's off for some camping at Cheddar Gorge.

If there is WiFi available I may even let everyone know what we get up to.

Meanwhile.....TTFN