You can’t have too many, can you? Aquilegias that is, aka Columbine or Granny’s Bonnets. They self-seed all over our garden, and also outside the back fence where we have a self-gardening border between us and the field. Dame’s violet, feverfew, purple toadflax, moon daisies, corn cockle and foxgloves are the other vigorous self-sowers. The Dame’s violet in particular is welcome for its fabulous scent. This year most of the plants have come up white. Last year they were mostly pinky-mauve as the plant in the next photo. I like the way they give us a change of scheme:
The border isn’t entirely made up of DIY flora. I have put in a few perennials, along with spreading useful herbs – various mints, oregano, lemon balm and marjoram. This year too, some left over allium bulbs put in 18m months ago, are making a nice show – quite unplanned planting scheme-wise. They were planted in the places where I could get my trowel in the soil.
You can also glimpse the transplanted crab apple tree in the top left corner. It’s just coming into full leaf. Next on parade will be the foxgloves. They are opening today under a sudden heat wave – so pictures to come. I’m also wondering if the invasion of opium poppies will be repeated this year. It’s nice to be kept guessing and to have a good garden fence to lean on – to watch and wait, and see what this unofficial garden will do next. It’s certainly keeping the bugs and bees happy.
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Gardens Please visit Cee for more lovely plants and gardens.
Tish Farrell 
Spectacular beauty in your photos this week. 😀 😀
Thanks so much Cee 🙂
Wonderful 🙂
Thank you, Debbie
You have the most amazing garden! Puts mine to absolute shame 🙂
The over all look of my garden leaves a lot to be desired, but in parts it does have its moments 🙂
Those moments look amazing! 🙂
She really does. You really do Tish. My goodness 😯
🙂
This is definitely the northern hemisphere’s best time for flowers!
🙂
Burgeoning like crazy, aren’t they, Tish? I’m tying renegade clematis and just enjoying being warm. 🙂 🙂 Our Aquilegia are mostly the lilacy blue ones.
We had lots of dark blue mauve ones last year, but this year they’re mainly rosy shades or cream. Interesting what they get up to – mingling. And yes – to be warm. Hurrah!
Beautiful Tish, I just love Coloumbine! I have never had that shade before, you are so lucky!
They keep inventing slightly new shades every year 🙂
Wonderful to see this wealth of flowers in your garden, the month of May is so beautiful and abundant in nature – love it!
So much unfurling and zooming 🙂
Unbelievably beautiful, Tish! No, you can’t have too many…
So glad we agree, Amy. But then we would, wouldn’t we. 🙂
Oh, wonderful sights, Tish!
Thank you, Sue 🙂
😊
Too beautiful. Brings back memories of my Gran and Grandad’s place down in Royston.
And the fields disappearing for miles in the background of the first photo?
Simply marvelous.
Thanks so much, Ark. Happy to bring back good memories of grandparents. Important people in your life, I feel.
They were, even though my time with them was infrequent and brief. But the memories are worth holding on to.
Important part of what makes us US.
Isn’t that the truth?
Spectacular garden !
…all those plants and their beautiful names, in part are unknown to me….
Thanks for this share Tish!
Grazie, Anna.
Utterly beautiful Tish. You’re making me re-evaluate my “if you can’t eat it, don’t plant it” approach to gardening.
I think there’s room for both. Flowers have started making their presence felt up at the allotment too – good for pollination of course – sweet peas beside the runner beans 🙂
Agreed. As I learn more about my garden, I can see how important flowers are. Pollination and my mental health.
Oh Tish it’s just beautiful. I do envy gardeners and what they are able to create, even if you do say this one is DIY.
Alison
Thank you, Alison 🙂
Oh Tish, your photos are simply divine and ever so beautiful this week. 😀
Lovely praise indeed. Thank you, Cee.