I have climbed back up the slippery slope to not posting and made it to the top. I’d like to say that I have spent the last few weeks dining out, drinking in pubs and jetting off to sunnier climes, but no. The best I have done to kick start the economy is have a hair cut and make two visits to the garden centre. Compost and twine now purchased, garden blogging can re-commence. Here are six things from the garden for your delectation.
One
Growing from seed is definitely a case of winning some, losing some. Here is a slow winner. This is echinacea pallida. I sowed seeds three years ago, probably a half tray full and managed to get three to 9cms pot sized plants. They were planted out last year and this year I have the first flowers. Very dainty. I like them and would like more. It could be a slow process.
Two
Also grown from seed and happily in the garden for a few years now the ‘Black Cat’ scabious is back and looking velvety dark again. I need a few more of these too, as a few a moved to a new location resented the intrusion and are no more.
Three
Hollyhocks, from collected seed and now liberally spreading themselves around. These I have to keep an eye on as they do get everywhere.
Four
This year’s annual sowings have started to flower and first out of the blocks is cosmos ‘Dazzler’. Always reliable but I am never happy with where I have planted them out.
Five
The magenta phlox have taken up the baton for the second half of summer. I always have a sinking feeling after the peak of the garden in June but the phlox opening up signals that the next wave has arrived.
Six
More mid summer magenta from the penstemons, this is ‘Plum Jerkum’.
That’s the six. I have been busy cutting back the June extravaganza of ‘Brookside’ geraniums and the delphiniums. The g. psilostomen is trying to convince me that it has another few days of flowers to give but really it is past its best and has to be cut back too. Nice to be back with The Prop, who has some beauties in his six of the week, all very colourful. Much to be enjoyed.
n20gardener 
Your hollyhocks looking very healthy, mine are completely rust covered. I like the dark scabious. Nice rich colour.
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Ah, you’ve been living the high life!
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The giddy heights!!
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Very beautiful colour of the penstemons. Is this variety prolific? Mine are and I keep getting new flowering stems.
Gorgeous hollyhocks (I don’t have this colour and your leaves look healthier than mine, which have many small holes as usual …)
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The hollyhocks are healthy this year, not sure why and yes the penstemons do get new stems especially if I remember to cut off the spent stems.
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Welcome back N20. I really like the colour-way of your hollyhocks. Like clotted cream!
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Thanks. I’m enjoying the colour this year. It’s unpredictable, I have some that are more lemony.
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That’s a funny name, Plum Jerkum! It’s a beautiful flower though. Two visits to a garden center is two times more than I’ve done. I miss them, and thrift stores, most! My hair has grown long enough to pull back, which in the heat is probably a good thing.
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Having a hair cut was such a relief!
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Do the hollyhock naturalize? It baffles me that it does so well in other gardens, but I can not grow it so well.
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They self seed here like mad and I have to be quick to pull them up before the roots get too far down.
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Dang! I would like to get just one to do so well.
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i’ve grown dazzler this year, first time. i think they are the best cosmos i’ve ever grown, bushy, tall and strong. not sure if that’s a conicidence, but i will be growing them again! one of them is planted right at the front of the border, totally the wrong place (i thought it was a short one…). oh well, i will just be able to enjoy it a little more easily.
welcome back!
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My favourite has to be the Black Cat scabious. I love those dark reds in a border.
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Me too. More seed sowing to replace the lost ones and the bees love them.
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What a lovely Six, especially the Hollyhock.
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