Five On Friday

Hello, thank you for dropping in.  Summer is almost here and at last it's warm and sunny!  Today I am joining in with Amy at Love Made My Home  so if you have time and you fancy it, please hop over and see who else is joining the party today.

 

Today I am going to share with you five things which I have been enjoying in my garden this week.

1.  Weigela

We are very fond of this plant for two reasons: firstly, the bees love it and I love to watch them flying in and out of those bee-shaped bells.  I am very keen on bees.  Secondly, this plant was given to us by the Best Beloved's grandmother, a very keen gardener who we called Nana, grown from a cutting she took from a shrub in her garden.  Nana used to have a little knife and a plastic bag in her handbag for surreptitious (and possibly illegal) cutting-taking wherever she went.  We loved her very much and although she died almost sixteen years ago, it's lovely to have her still with us in this plant.  It's been in flower for several weeks and is going over now, carpeting the grass beneath with petals, but there will be more flowers in September.

 

2.  Aquilegia

 

These are almost finished now but I do love them.  We bought one years ago and it has generously and cheerfully seeded itself all over the place.  You may know them as Granny's Bonnets but my favourite name for them is Columbine. 

 

3. Geranium

 



 

Not pelargoniums but hardy geraniums.  These have spread like wildfire and I should have cut them back but I couldn't bear to because the bees love them so much.  They are by the patio and the gentle buzz of bees going about their work is very soothing as I sit with a cool glass of something/soothing mug of tea. They will flower all summer so they are good value, and these are special because they came from my parents' garden.  Thanks, Dad.

 

4. Philadelphus

 

 

I planted this for it's smell as much as it's looks, it's absolutely swoony.  The flowers only began to open a few days ago and should keep going for several weeks, so I am looking forward to sitting in the summerhouse with the doors open, breathing in the wonderful fragrance.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!

 

5. Sunsets

 

We have had some absolutely stunning sunsets this week.  Here's one of mine -

 

 

 

I wasn't at home on Wednesday evening so I rang the Best Beloved at 9.15pm and asked him to go outside straight away and photograph the sky!  This is what he took with his DSLR -  

 

 

 

Finally, here is the view from the garden last night, taken on my little Canon -

 

So there you are, five things I have enjoyed in my little haven this week and thank you for letting me share them with you, especially if you have come here via Amy's Five on Friday.  I shall be back over the weekend with news of an exhibition I went to last night, so hope to see you then.

Love, Mrs Tiggywinkle x