You've all shamed me with your wonderful garden pictures so I've pulled my finger out and put a few pics together, although the garden is far from its best yet.
The front garden, with better soil & sunny aspect, is the focus for our herbaceous efforts. This is the view across from the driveway with two flavours of Astrantia major in the foreground, Calamagrostis behind it and Stipa gigantea at the back. In a week or so the view will be far more yellow when the flowers of Anthemis E.C. Buxton finally emerge.
The view of the flowering Stipa from the front door.
The view the other way from the front door with Achillea 'Moonshine' in the foreground and my new (-ish) island bed behind.
A close-up of an Achillea inflorescence
At the back of the house the current highlight is my wife's wonderfully scented climbing rose (can't remember the variety) behind more Astrantia 'Roma'. The Astrantia is far happier here in the heavier soil.
Closer view of climbing rose
And finally a view across the back to the greenhouse cum' shed. I remember when we first moved in that whole corner of the garden was under a very mature Russian Vine!
Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
@VictorMeldrew. Your garden looks perfect to me and I don't think you have been shamed in any way. You have obviously put in some hard work to achieve it. You haven't seen mine yet!
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I love my Macleaya, although it does need a bit of controlling.
The large and grey/green foliage act as a lovely contrast in the border.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
My bad; it's Astrantia major ‘Shaggy’, of course. Blame it on the heatwave / fichue canicule.
The front garden, with better soil & sunny aspect, is the focus for our herbaceous efforts. This is the view across from the driveway with two flavours of Astrantia major in the foreground, Calamagrostis behind it and Stipa gigantea at the back. In a week or so the view will be far more yellow when the flowers of Anthemis E.C. Buxton finally emerge.
The view of the flowering Stipa from the front door.
The view the other way from the front door with Achillea 'Moonshine' in the foreground and my new (-ish) island bed behind.
A close-up of an Achillea inflorescence
At the back of the house the current highlight is my wife's wonderfully scented climbing rose (can't remember the variety) behind more Astrantia 'Roma'. The Astrantia is far happier here in the heavier soil.
Closer view of climbing rose
And finally a view across the back to the greenhouse cum' shed. I remember when we first moved in that whole corner of the garden was under a very mature Russian Vine!
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
Looking forward to seeing yours, especially now that you've mentioned it @Fran IOM!
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful