Black elder (sambucus)

There are several dark-leaved sambucus around, this one with divided leaves ('Black Lace').

Double geraniums

23rd to 24th August - two double hardy geraniums in blue and white by the small wall. Elsewhere, Crinodendron patagua, pictured earlier, the Lily of the Valley Tree, is still in flower.

Agapanthus

A good value flower which survives outside through even the harshest winter when protected by a wall.

Fragrant leaved pelargoniums

Gorgeous smelling rose/mint scents to this worthwhile group of plants. Not hardy, so protect in winter. The pelargonium is a 'stork's bill' rather than a 'cranesbill' (geranium), named after the seed pod.

Shrub clematis

An unusual clematis which grows as a bush. A bit untidy for most of the year, time for a haircut after flowering.

Monarda

Eid mubarak to our Muslim friends, with this red monarda.

Bargain patio roses

Two pots at £1 each (4 roses per pot) - have grown on well.

The new border

Crocosmia Lucifer mingling with linaria (pale pink selection)

Art in the Garden

15-16 August.  Art, not unfortunately in my garden but at Sir Harold Hilliers Garden near Romsey.

Stars of South Africa

Galtonia candicans, named for Sir Francis Galton, is the Cape Hyacinth. Now apparently called Ornithogalum candicans. Related to asparagus and the 'Star of Bethlehem'.

And more familiar agapanthus, the African Lily with names like Northern Star. They have grown in pots outside here for 20 years.

Herr Dahl's Frillies

I recommend Dahlias from seed - and they will come back next year if protected from frost. Anders Dahl was Swedish, by the way.

Clematis unbound

Dot your hedges with colour

Lily of the Valley Tree

Crinodendron patagua, in flower now. Evergreen, tolerates frost, but might lose its leaves after a frost. It would grow into a full size tree so I keep it pruned. Is it related to the ordinary crinodrendron? It looks entirely different.

Phlox and Tulbaghia

Pinks and purples... phlox at the top

Dahlias from seed

Highly recommend growing from feed - must have produced a hundred dahlias. Can you see Rupert Bear?

Cape Fuchsia

Otherwise known as  Phygelius, the trumpets are yellow inside. Also available in yellow and a range of in between shades of pink-yellow. This one is the Funfair series. Funfair Pink.

 They can creep quite a lot, and if you want to restrain their roots, I plant them in their plantpot, though with the bottom removed. Roots then will go down and not sideways.

Dire Straits

This lilac developed a bracket fungus a couple of years ago. It moved into the heartwood and has just died back. No option but to chop and clean out the stump. Its not honey fungus, fortunately.

 This photo is more benign - geraniums benefit from being chopped back in July when they get straggling and flowering finished. They grow back quickly (bottom picture) and flower again.

This lilak

Three moods...

Hot, relaxing and chilled... Went to The Sir Harold Hillier Garden today near Romsey - highly recommend it.

Climbers

Golden jasmine (top) and second flush rose Rambling Rector, plus honeysuckle (bottom).

The first potatoes

At least the potatoes seem to be growing OK...

Loosestrife - Lysimachia

Three lysimachias - Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander'

Lysimachia ciliata ‘Firecracker’

 Lysimachia clethroides (Gooseneck loosestrife)

The wild/native Purple Loosestrife should be out soon.

Everlasting sweet pea

It has been a bad year for ordinary sweet peas, which have the benefit of scent. Lathyrus  latifolius, the everlasting sweet pea comes back year after year. The top one was growing over the floor and through the chair (middle until I tied it up). Scrambling is its great strength, and it can crawl through bushes and beds giving a boost of unexpected flower (bottom picture with a mauve/purple pea).

Here the purple lathyrus is joined scrambling around, by white cosmos and red crocosmia.

Weeds

This bed needs some urgent attention. Mostly it contains flowering comfrey (symphytum) loved by bumble  bees but is at the untidy stage. Sometimes a glorious weed appears, like this unidentified member of the pea family.