My Little Garden 27th May 2023
In a way, May 2023 has felt a little like the first lockdown three years ago. The husband and I have been on local walks after his hip replacement operation, increasing our distances each day and enjoying the delights of spring in our local green spaces. In a ‘normal’ year he would have been out playing golf several times a week whilst I got on with various gardening related activities, so it’s been nice to spend the odd hour or two rambling around together. After almost six weeks though, he’s quite independent again, so my Nurse Ratched role is coming to an end and I can’t say I’m sorry.
The family are all away on their hols next week, and it will be nice to have a break from school pick ups while I concentrate on some planting jobs. I love seeing all the girls after school, but it means that I have very few full days free, especially when I have to cover for the other grandparents, as happened this week. Fortunately, there’s always weekends to fall back on.
May is always one of my busiest months, so I’m always playing catch-up in my own garden, but nature carries on regardless and there’s much to enjoy.
These caught my eye for #SixonSaturday this week.
- Veronica ‘Crater Lake Blue’
This is a fabulous blue perennial for May. Just a little plant in a 9cm pot a couple of years ago (from the nursery at Bluebell Cottage Gardens) it is now a good-sized clump of the most beautiful blue flowers. And it copes with my dry front garden very well.
2. Cirsium rivulare
A repeat slot for this fabulous ‘thistle’.
3. Rose
Drum roll…… the first rose to bloom in 2023 is ‘Rosa Handel’. It’s a beauty.
4. Alliums
Mostly ‘Purple Rain’ with a few ‘Purple Sensation’ lurking around out of shot.
5. Geranium
A few of my geraniums are starting to flower now. An unknown blue in the front garden, which goes splat within days, and just looks a mess, G. ‘Derrick Cooke’, a pleasing white with purple markings, and G. ‘Anne Thomson’ whose colour I really like.
6. Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’
A lovely pink verbascum which is thriving in my sunny border.
Here it is mixing with the alliums.
So that’s my six for the last week of May. What are yours? I look forward to finding out as I head to twitter for a look.
Have a great bank holiday weekend.
