My garden is getting taller and taller , which provides the opportunity to observe countless bees at eye level. A couple of years ago, I wrote a blog about taking in the beauty of flowers , and I think it is a good time to include Open Gardens. again.

My bee identification skills continue to be pretty dismal – however I’m making good use of my many guides.

Veronicastrum with bees,
All very informative and useful !
Sanguisorba tenufolia alba stands over 2 metres tall
As does Helenenium herbstonne
Tithonia rotundifolia The Torch – a mere 1.25 metres in height
Coleus may be short in height, but it makes its presence due to it’s outstanding colours. Sown from seed in March of this year.

I saw Inula gigantea at Great Dixter three years ago. On returning home I bought a packet of Inula helenium elecampane seeds, and they are now towering and flowering away in my garden. Definitely worth the wait – what a fabulous perennial.

image taken at Great Dixter
sown on the 12 th September 2020
Towering in at over two metres in height
what a fabulous flower !
I think its fair to say
” there is not “
“a great deal of planting space left “

My orchard project is coming along. We have around 15 fruit trees, and this year we are focusing on mulching out the nettles from underneath, which will make it much easier when harvesting !

In addition to mulching, a race track has been mown out for Fiona ( our greyhound ) she loves her morning run, and then promptly returns to the sofa for the majority of the day.

Enjoy your late summer garden.