Love Amongst the Borage

The garden was literally humming yesterday. The bees were making a bee-line for the borage in full and glorious flower.

But they weren`t the only ones enjoying the sky-blue surroundings.

These shield bugs were having a good time. We counted about a half dozen amongst the downy foliage.

There`s an all-out sense of getting things into the ground and with this in mind we came to the garden with pots and trays of plants.

French marigolds, geranium cuttings, helichrysum and sunflowers.

Steve got the courgettes and pumpkins in with good protection. The rabbits are rampant at the moment.

It is so funny to see the beds like this.

Soon the plants will be spilling over the sides.

 

I planted up the old water trough, also protected.

Last year I did not manage to germinate any helichrysum but this year I am pleased to have three trays. They are commonly called straw flowers and do remarkably well in the garden producing masses of everlasting flowers.

It was so hot that horseflies were biting.

They can give a nasty nip.

 

Poppies and irises seem to be the order of the day.

The iris sibirica should have been split last autumn but I never got around to it. They are densely packed.

One of the tortoises was making a bid for freedom by climbing the wire fencing surrounding their extensive run.

He tumbled onto his back. Luckily I was on hand to put him upright.

 

The sweetpeas are well away and I have removed the netting.

This year I intend to keep the surrounding area clear.

Already love in a mist is wafting its way around.

Last year it was poppies, which seriously compromised the plants at one end of the row. The poppies were beautiful however.

 

The first cornflower heads are precious.

Soon dead-heading will become a priority if we want them to flower through the summer.

Everyone seems to love them.

Geranium "Johnsons Bliue" and the aquilegia aptly named 

Granny`s bonnets.

The raised bed gradually filling up.

The shrubby border.

And tulips from home, heeled in for a glorious show next year.

 

Alert.

There are mermaid murmurings .....

so watch this space.