Today the sun is shining very brightly, you can see it was so strong the images dazzle with the light.
This week there was a severe weather warning for my part of Italy; strong winds, thunder storms and hail were all forecast. So far we’ve had a thunder storm but it didn’t rain very much and even though it is very sunny it is also windy. Continue reading
Today is GBBD and gardeners all over the world are photographing what is blooming in their gardens today and linking with Carol at May Dreams Garden to share what they have found.
So the first Bloomday of spring is here! Even though our winter here in Italy has been mercifully mild (maybe too mild, I saw a locust the other day – not a good sign) it is still a good feeling to know that spring is here and soon there will be no fear of very cold nights doing any damage to new crops planted outside. Continue reading
Bloomday has been sunny and warm but when I took the photos this morning everything was wet; wet from the rain yesterday and from the frost that enveloped the garden in the latter part of the night. As before Christmas the temperature seems to have only fallen to zero or perhaps one degree below. Continue reading
The middle of November already, where has 2013 gone? With such a gentle autumn with rain and sun and mild temperatures day and night there are still plenty of blooms in the garden. Yes, there are the usual suspects, the plants that flower reliably for most of the year and they are not appreciated any less by me for that reason, they deserve their inclusion in GBBD as much as any prima donnas who excite with their rare presence. I‘m joining Carol at May Dreams where gardeners from all over the world share what’s flowering today in their gardens. Continue reading
I arrived home too late to join in Bloomday last month. Although there had been major rainfall the temperatures were relatively high and the garden still had that faded summer look. October has brought with it more rain in significant quantities and now the temperatures are lower especially at night. At last the garden looks FRESH, with many of the roses re-flowering so I’m happy to be joining in this month. Continue reading
The summer has been relatively kind to the garden, although some plants have become stressed in the last couple of weeks of intense heat (40’s °C). The roses especially appreciated the rain that fell even well into July. Continue reading
I missed the deadline of the 15th for GBBD but I wanted to take photos for my own records so I will share with you what is flowering on the 16th July.
The rain during the last weeks combined with below average temperatures mean that the garden is a pleasure to be in and that many more flowers are blooming for a longer period of time. Roses have usually given up by now, but there are lots in the garden. I think the Perovskia is the best it has ever been and even Cistus are continuing to flower. Foliage is lush; the garden is at last full of butterflies and bees and now that it has become hot the cicadas fill the air with their chattering sound. Continue reading
Until this past Monday, 10th June, the weather here in central Lazio as not been its usual sunny and warm self. Then as the forecasters promised Tuesday the temperature has noticeably risen; the air feels warmer and the afternoon wind from the sea began to blow. Actually just a few moments ago when I was taking photographs there was a mini-whirlwind; I looked around and thought the sky was full of strange birds but instead it was hay that had just been cut from the field behind the house, moments later it passed through the garden lifting dropped petals high into the air, sorry I didn’t manage to get a clear image. Continue reading
I usually try to post every bloom there is in the garden for GBBD (for my own record of what is flowering if nothing else), but I’m beaten today! There are just too many flowers and to be truthful even though I love every single bloom it is the overall effect of the garden that is giving me the most joy.
I will try to post about more of the flowers individually during the next month. Cistus, Eschscholzia californica (and not just orange), Roses, Iris – all deserve their own post.
Thanks to Carol for hosting. You might want to peek over the garden wall at some blooms in other gardens so do visit Carol at MayDreamsgarden.
So here (grab a cup of tea maybe) is My Hesperides Garden on GBBD in May. I hope your gardens are giving you as much pleasure as mine is to me, happy bloom day.
Rosa mutabilis on the wall that divides the vegetable garden from the drive
Large Island
Iris Kent Pride with white blotched with brown Cistus
Philadelpus scenting the garden
Iris Before the Storm with Eschscholzia californica
The slope
This cistus is one I took as a cutting
The slope
The slope
Eschscholzia californica, on the slope
Buddleia alternifolia, I am tryijng to train as a weeping tree
The pillars on the west facing side of the terrace with Rosa Clair Martin
My favourite rose
Rosa Rimosa, South facing Terrace
Large Island
Large Island
Large Island
Large Island
Large Island looking towards the formal beds
Large Island
Looking along the back border from under the fig
Looking from under Mulberry along the back bed
Left Hand Border
Under Mulberry
Left Hand Border
Left Hand Border
Left hand border
Rosa Stanwell’s perpetual, Triangular rose bed
Sambucus with lovely dark foliage, Triangular rose bed
Triangular rose bed
Triangular rose bed
Triangular rose bed
Triangular rose bed
The quality of the images isn’t as good as usual as today was very sunny but rain is forecast for tomorrow so I needed to get them today.
Creating my own garden of the Hesperides 