Leucanthemum ‘Broadway Lights’ is at it’s best this week. Short and stocky, it opens a creamy yellow and fades to almost white. Never flops unlike it’s tall white cousins which I always have to ‘Chelsea Chop’ to keep them upright.

The Agapanthus africanus lined up in their big pots facing south along the front of the bungalow are getting lots of admiring glances from passers-by. 

The Heleniums are in full flow and providing a feast for the bees and butterflies. This one is the shorter ‘Wyndley’ which at just 80cm is very sturdy and it’s beautiful yellow/bronze flowers really shine in the sun.

It seems scabious are attractive before they open…….

and after!

I have discovered that the climbing Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’ makes a very good standard which, if supported by a short obelisk forms a good head. Friends tell me they cut it down to the ground like other hardy fuchsias but I find it shoots from the ripe wood each year.

Another first for me this year is Echinacea pallida which I grew from seed last year and easily overwintered in plastic pots plunged up to their necks in one of the raised beds which are well drained. They all came through unscathed and are flowering well. It remains to be seen if they will survive a long wet winter in the beds. Not sure whether I like them or not! They look a bit frail for my taste.

The last Allium of the season to open is Allium caeruleum ‘Azureum’, the only true blue allium. Makes a nice change from all that purple but I just wish they were bigger!