A couple of views of the pond - green film collecting arond the edges - the middle was much clearer.
A strange shaped primula vialii (orchid primrose). They flower stem is usually cone shaped. Lilac flowers emerge from red buds.
I don't know what these little lemon yellow flowers are but they were attracting small shiny flies until my camera got close and they all flew away.
Fuchsias
More unknown pale lemon flowers.
The small red flowers were bobbing up and down as bees landed and clung on and the flowers bowed with the weight of the bee and then sprung up again as the bee left.
The flower that I photographed last time but I hadn't seen before.
Looking closer.
Raindrops on Ladies Mantle.
The Hebes are beginning to flower all along the path towards the little wonky steps. The thing that surprises me about these is that from a distance they all look one colour - white or lilac but when you look closer these white ones have bright raspberry coloured anthers giving the impression of a pink haze around the white flowers.
The lilac hebes aren't all one colour it's only the outer edges of the petals that are lilac - the rest is white. They're all a bit different on different shrubs.
This one has shorter flower spikes and the anthers are shocking pink.
Seed pods forming on the plant at the top of the crooked steps.
Harsh looking spikes - these will be open next time I go.
I love these floaty lilac bubbles.
The crown imperial fritillaria seed pods seems to be sinking as the yellow pokers shoot up around them.
There are still poppies - and some more buds to open among all the seed heads.
Pools of water in the thick concave leaves.
Honesty seeds.
I must remember to have a closer look at these pink flowers next time - there is such a strong contrast of texture, pattern etc.
This hydrangea is covered in flowers now.
Looking closer - an explosion of different things happening in the middle with even the centres of those big pink flowers around the edge joining in.
The hut with no front.
Rotten wood at the ends of the floor boards revealed.
Overlapping leafy spikes - fabulous pattern.
Concertina style leaf centre.
Looking closer at the amazing structure of the Korean Pine cones. The green "tongues" with red tips show up well against the darkening and bulging body of the cones.
Unruly riot of beautyberry flowers (Callicarpa). The just look like pink flowers from a distance - but looking closer you can see the shaggy stamens poking out at all angles with bright yellow anthers like a halo.
Fabulous star shaped seed pods.
The last few remaining foxgloves top heavy with the last remaining flowers and bowed low with the weight of raindrops - yet the tip is still trying to turn up towards the light.
Heavy rain the day before has left a river print on the path.
The other hydrangea is only just coming out.
I like doorways, arches, openings you can see through and natural tunnels or arches like this one. It's only an arch for part of year. It reminds me of many of the children's books I have loved - stepping through the wardrobe into a magical land, or through the gate into the secret garden - or travelling through time into the garden in the past and helping to put right a wrong. . .
When I had come through the arch I turned and photographed it the other way. I only noticed some more seed pods when looking at the photo later (right side, just above the centre).
Cornus flower.
I have no idea what these are but I'm fascinated by the variety of shapes on one plant. Some have one spike some, like this one, have many spikes
- some have split tops with two, three or even more separations.
There will be a lot of spindle berries this year.
I saw the wheelbarrow before I noticed the green of the gardener's T-shirt in the flower border (quite well camouflaged).
He was pulling something out.
and throwing them out of the border like darts towards a pile on the grass.
He explained that he was thinning the patches of Michaelmas daisies because they were smothering other plants growing next to them.
Gaps on the allium seed head look like a spiral and reveal the red of the stems which echo go well with the shocking pink flowers around it.
Pastel pink edges and deep pink centres
Bee on a buddleia
Oranges and lemons
and some purple and pink to end with.
Thank you very much for joining me.
