Seeing red

 

Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw' in the patio bed

A pop of red does seem to brighten up a garden.  This is the time for the big blowsy poppies down by the summerhouse, but also the Geum ‘Mrs Bradshaw’ is making its mark in the (not-so-)new patio bed, contrasting with the blue penstemon which is the main attraction there; a little white comes from a white thrift (Armeria maritima) and Dianthus ‘Mrs Sinkins’, both peeping out from under the purple sage, and a couple of self-seeded foxgloves complete the picture.

Lily 'Cherry Joy'

Then the lilies are just starting.  I have a potful of dark red ‘Cherry Joy’, bulbs won in a raffle and planted up two or three years ago; they’re not scented, but they’re bright, prolific and – unlike a lot of lilies – they hold their flowers upright so that you can see them.  My scented lilies are in bud but will flower a little later.

Rose 'Gertrude Jekyll'

Foxglove bed

There is plenty of pink-and-white as well, from the roses and the foxgloves, which I’ve allowed to take over one of the shadier veg plot beds.  The aquilegias are now coming to an end, and the dame’s violet (Hesperis matronalis) plants are replacing them, colour-wise.  The peony ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ is just starting.  The red take-over won’t last long.

There have been some pops of red in the garden wildlife too, and not just the three robins which have been squabbling over the fatball feeder as they collect scraps for their youngsters (at least one of which has been to the patio).  Last night, before it became totally dark, I spotted a shape moving around under the big apple tree, which is shedding surplus fruit into the lawn (the so-called June drop).  The shape looked black, but in full light it would have been redder, because as it approached the house I could see that it was a large dog fox with a very long tail.  It made off through the flowerbeds.  That certainly explains some of the larger droppings that we see from time to time on the lawn.  It probably has a taste for (very underripe) apples.

And a few mornings back I opened up the greenhouse and noticed that some canes, that had been stacked in a corner, were lying on the ground.  This sort of thing is usually an indication of intruding wildlife; I assumed a mouse, since the temperatures overnight had been too low for the roof vents to open and allow a bird inside (and the door had been closed).  When I went to reach for some things lying on the gravel bed, I saw the flash of red before I spotted the black and white feathers – there was a greater spotted woodpecker under the staging, head under wing and fast asleep.  An adult male, as it had the bright red patch on the back of its head.  I can only think that it had been in there when I closed up the night before and had made the best of it by getting some shut-eye.  I wasn’t particularly quiet about my approach, and when it didn’t move at first I wondered if it was dead, but before I could pick it up it came round and shot into deeper cover.  I eventually persuaded it towards the open door and it made off, presumably quite relieved at being free again!