Successes and a few disasters!

It’s sooo hot! Plants have been suffering in the recent hot weather so I had to get the winter fleeces out to cover some of them up to stop the leaves and flowers going crispy.

Last time I said my prize euphorbia ‘Rudolph’ wasn’t in a good place (mildew) and had to be heavily pruned. Well, it’s now no more and has gone to plant heaven (there were tears!). Also I hung a fence pot up with bedding plants in it and it decided it didn’t like it there and dropped onto a lovely purple sedum, which got totally squashed

– I had to cut it back and hope! On a brighter note, hanging baskets are looking very nice and spring-flowering clematis is blooming again. Crocosmia and geranium ‘Rozanne’ are looking good in the front garden and I also have crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ in pots, which is in bloom. I’ve had limonium ‘Dazzle Rocks’ for a couple of years and it’s bloomed for the first time and is looking really good, especially as the flowers are lasting a long time. I have some agapanthus and one is in flower and as for the rest, there’s no sign of any.

Last month I repotted the Indian bean tree and it’s shot up and the leaves are so big. I need to reduce its height but will wait until autumn before pruning it. Each year I grow a castor oil plant from seed and this year’s is looking really good.

The abutilons I have are shortlived perennials so I’ve attempted to take some semi-ripe cuttings. First time I’ve done this (and might be the last) and as I write they don’t look good and aren’t worthy of a photo, but time will tell and I’ll keep you posted.