How did we get to June? The year is rushing by in a swirl of mixed emotions – I believe they call it the Corona-coaster – but as ever the garden provides solace.
More than ever this year I am grateful for this wonderful meme which provides an opportunity to document the weekly changes in the garden. Thanks to The Propagator and all fellow SOS-ers.
1. Viper’s bugloss
One of the things keeping me sane is regular walks and runs on the South Downs near where we live. This little patch of Echium vulgare comes up every year. It’s common name is thought to come from its brilliant blue flowers which resemble snakes-heads. It was a favourite of Derek Jarman who cultivated it in his garden at Prospect Cottage, Dungeness.
2. Poppies
The poppies in our front garden are all self sown but I decided to let them grow this year. Some are from ladybird poppies I sowed in previous years, the others must have come in on the wind.
3. Astrantia
Last week I forgot to include our lovely Astrantia major which is having a good year in dappled shade – so here it is. I bought this from Marchants Hardy Plants a couple of years ago and it has quadrupled in size.
4. Geranium ‘Southease’
Another purchase from Marchants, this delicate blue cranesbill is named after a pretty little village just down the road from us.
5. Philadelphus
One of my favourite plants in June is the mock orange with its perfume sweet scent. Here is one that lights up our back garden. At this time of year I can be found on streets near us with my nose stuck in various different Philadelphus inhaling their heady fragrance.
6. Scabious
I haven’t made it to one of the bigger garden centres yet but this lovely lilac Scabious comes from our local micro-nursery Fi’s Yard.
Carrots and Calendula 
Very nice photos of red poppies with blue sky ( and the same to philadelphus of course).
I can’t wait to see my flowering echium (E pininana …): maybe next year if I manage to overwinter them.
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My neighbour has one with three giant spikes and across the road there are at least a dozen! They are quite invasive here, but the bees do love the flowers.
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I like the sound of a micro-nursery! Lovely astrantia, worthy winner of your feature photograph. The philadelphias are wonderful at the moment. Have a good week 🙂
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I do like Philadelphus but the one I have removed from the garden had very few flowers and just kept getting bigger and bigger. That astrantia is lovely.
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Lovely astrantia! I look forward to reading your posts!
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Astrantia major is so pretty. I don’t have any spots it would be happy though.
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Six stunning photo’s there. Especially the Vipers Bugloss and the Poppies. Your very lucky to live in the South Downs.
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Thanks – it’s been a lifesaver being able to go for walks here!
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Beautiful astrantia – very clean and white. I think most of mine have become pinky/greeny half breeds. The vipers bulgloss looks very dramatic. Is it quite tall? I’ve really enjoyed seeing the wild flowers on my (much more frequent) local walks this year.
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Not very tall about 50cm!
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So beautiful! We ended up with yellow Welsh poppies this year, although I’m not too sure where they came from.
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Love that Astrantia, I keep seeing them on the blogs and am getting quite envious. I wonder if I can squeeze one in? As for the Philadelphus, the smell from them is sublime, but when I had two in my Doncaster garden I had to cut them down as every year they were badly attacked by black aphids.
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Never had a problem with aphids on philadelphus here!
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Lovely white astrantia. I quite fancy a few for my front garden bu rapidly running out of space.
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I also love that astrantia w/just the briefest bit of pink in it. Philadelphus is one of my favourite shrubs, too. I believe we’ve compared notes in the past on this subject!
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I’m sure we have – I bang on about it every year 😂
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Astrantia is compelling. I have never seen it before. It looks something like those paper snowflakes we cut out in kindergarten.
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It is quite popular here – the name comes from the Latin for star because of the shape of the flower!
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It looks like a star that has gone supernova.
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I love the white, white of your astrantia major, mine have a pinkier tinge. And what beautiful blue skies, how quickly I’ve forgotten all that sunshine. The philadephus looks fab against the blue. Corona-coaster is a good phrase.
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The poppies look so lovely – one of my favourites actually,
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