Hello, old friends

I'm always taken by surprise when a plant that I had forgotten about, or forgotten how much I liked it, comes into flower.  This has happened quite a lot recently, probably because for the past two years we've been away on holiday at this time of year and missed much of what was happening in the garden.  Here are some of my old friends that have pleased me recently:

Tulip 'Menton'

Tulip 'Menton' is an old new friend; planted a couple of years ago but then not seen because of the holidays.  A few are still surviving down in the bottom border, and very attractive they are too - pleasing colour and elegant shape.  And alongside them are the alliums - A. hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' mostly - which I've missed for the same reason.  They make a really good show.  There are also some foxgloves in that patch; I had been hoping for white flowers but only one white is there.  It's a useful reminder of the good design principle of mixing shapes (globe alliums, tall foxgloves, rounded brunnera) to good effect - though I have to admit it's entirely accidental.  (Note to self: a bit too much purple and pink down there at the moment; it needs something else, preferably bright or light to be seen from the other end of the garden.)

The wisteria has flowered really well this year; at its peak the scent was wonderful.

Wisteria

The poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii) has seeded into a very striking patch by the drive:

Limnanthes douglasii

Two of my favourite plants, partly because they have good foliage: Geranium renardii, with sage-green corrugated leaves and white flowers with purple flecks, and Allium karataviense 'Ivory Queen', with lovely broad glaucous leaves and white pom-pom flowers:

Geranium renardii

Allium karataviense 'Ivory Queen'

The roses are also starting to come out.  Of the earlies, I always forget about R. altaica, with its lovely creamy-white flowers, because it can't be seen from the house, and the same is true of nearby Solomon's Seal, which was planted alongside a path that got overgrown long ago and now no longer exists.  I must rescue it from under there!

Rosa altaica

Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum)

Nectaroscordum siculum (I think this may be subsp. bulgaricum) is also coming into bloom:

Nectaroscordum siculum

And of course the poppies (Papaver 'Allegro') are always striking, with their flamenco flounces:

Papaver 'Allegro'

But plain green can be attractive too!  Here is Hosta 'Krossa Regal' on the patio - lovely corrugated leaves.

Hosta 'Krossa Regal'

There have been a couple of new friends too - although I think one may be very temporary.  Many years ago I planted some Tulipa saxatilis; they produced lots of leaves but no flowers, and eventually they were shaded out by nearby shrubs.  I tried moving some of them to a less shady place, with the same result.  Recently I've thought about digging them out, but their current location is low down the priority list at the moment and in fact is serving as a bit of a dump for odd bricks.  So I was surprised the other week to see one single flower, at last:

Tulipa saxatilis among the bricks

- but I'm still going to dig them out at some point.  They've had nearly 20 years to make a show!

The other new friend is again, I suspect, a plant I've missed out on by being on holiday.  It's Iris sibirica - a lovely soft blue with yellow filigree markings and white edging, doing really well down by the summerhouse.  I fight shy of irises, never being able to remember which need moisture and which like it dry, and not having many dry and sunny places for them - but this one is a winner.

Iris sibirica

Recent cut flowers from the garden have been aquilegias - I now have a good mix of plains (pinks, blues, purples, one white) and bi-colours - with sweet rocket (Hesperis matronalis); and another vase of the sweet rocket with blue veronica, Astrantia 'Hadspen Blood', Cornflower 'Black Boy' and Erysimum 'Bowles' Mauve'.

Veronica and friends

Mostly aquilegias