The stars in this week’s sun-baked garden have surely been the sweet peas. This when you might expect the heat to quickly wilt their delicate petals. No so. Over the past week I’ve cut one and two bunches a day. The house smells delicious. And yet back in the spring I’d been complaining about pigeons chomping all the main stems. The rotters were using the obelisk struts as convenient take-away perches. But it hasn’t mattered, and I haven’t even bothered to water them. But I did plant them out quite early in March, and I can only conclude they made some very strong, deep roots.
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The latest rose to bloom is St. Cecilia, a repeat flowering David Austin small shrub creation with hints of myrrh fragrance. She’s growing on top of the back garden wall, where we have a wing canopy tethered, (between the wall and the kitchen double doors). We’ve been enjoying the soothing rose scent while eating outside.
The heat certainly didn’t suit some flowers. The blue geraniums began fading fast and the starry petalled astrantia soon turned crispy. This called for some general tidying. And while I was deadheading around verbascum Lavender Lass I found this…
…a mullein moth caterpillar. I’ve known them wreak havoc in verbascum chaixii Wedding Candles, and also in the tall wild flower mullein, so I was pleased to see it hadn’t eaten too much of Lavender Lass. She should flower again later this year. The caterpillar, though, is the most spectacular beastie, especially when I find it turns into something resembling a piece of crumpled bark.
The front garden has been surviving hours of full-on sun for over a week now, so I’ve been very glad of all the Strulch mulching that I did last autumn. I’ve only had to water a few newly planted out annuals and also the two small raised beds with the dwarf crab apple trees in them. Two plants that have otherwise been coming into their own with no attention from me are: Achillea Moonglow and Oregano Kent Beauty.
The oregano is trailing from the raised bed to the left of the Achillea (above). I also have some cascading over the ugly front wall where it keeps company with the recumbent rosemary. It’s thanks to Jude at Cornwall in Colours that I learned of its existence, and then to discover that there are other lovely ornamental oreganos. It will keep flowering now into autumn, the colours growing more vivid through the season. And of course, it’s also appealing to insects.
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And finally, ‘hot from the press’ and opening just this morning, a very striking lily. I can’t remember what she’s called. She was anyway an on-line purchasing mistake late last summer, the plant seller getting their orders confused. When this was pointed out, he told me to keep the bulbs and plant them. I have to say, I wasn’t altogether thrilled. I’m not very keen on lilies. And I’m certainly not keen on the lily beetles that too often come with them. So I put them in pot and forgot them.
Which just goes to show. I shouldn’t have been so mean-spirited about an unexpected gift, even if I did find a nasty red beetle on it yesterday.
Happy gardening, folks, however it comes!
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Copyright 2026 Tish Farrell
Six on Saturday Please hop over to Jim’s garden and see what’s happening there.
Just a heads up…
While most lilies are toxic for cats your lily is an Easter Lily which is lethal for cats. Every single part of the plant, including any water from vases.
Their pollen can get onto cat’s fur and if the lick it off it could prove fatal.
We have recently removed all lilies from our garden, primarily because our newest edition, a kitten we rescued from a street drain, loves to rummage in the undergrowth outside the lounge where we had several of these plants .
Thought you might like to know… Just in case.
Thanks for that info Ark. We don’t have cats, but some do visit, or at least leave deposits.
Tish, your beautiful flowers made me smile this morning!
Am so pleased to give you smile, Beth. And now you’ve given one to me 🙂
Sorry.. Can’t remember if you have a cat.. If not… No problem.
Despite everything, your garden seems to be doing well. It must appreciate all the preparatory hours you put in.
The oregano is intriguing. I have some run of the mill oregano planted for insects. Home grown oregano is just not that great when I grow it.Not sure why, not enough dry heat? Wrong soil composition? ANyway, yours is very pretty.
My kitchen oregano seems willing to grow and seed anywhere and we have pretty cold wet winters for it cope with. You could maybe try yours in a container. The Kent Beauty does like to be grown in fairly sheltered well drained spots, but that said, it’s also been exposed to months of wind before the heat-wave arrived.
Your garden is so beautiful. I’m appreciating it since I’m not into gardening, but I enjoy the beauty of yours.
Happy you can enjoy gardening vicariously, Anne 🙂
As long as I don’t have to get my hands dirty!!😍
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Beautiful garden.
Thank you, Rupali.
Oh, I can’t believe that’s Oregano–what beautiful, delicate blooms, and the color is so soft! I might have to try some of that in a pot! I’m imagining the lovely scents of the Sweet Peas and the Roses. Mmmmm….
The Kent Beauty is very lovely, and the flowers hang on even as they dry out at the end of the season. There is also a similar variety, Bristol Cross that has long pink panicles. I should think both would be fine in pots.
That is a beautiful caterpillar! So funny how it turns into a very ordinary moth.
I really like your Achillea. We have a border that needs to be stabilised, and Achillea is one of the best plants because of its long roots. We’ll need to look into getting some different varieties like yours.
Achillea are such good plants, and some lovely shades. I misnamed mine. It’s Moonshine, not ‘glow’. I’ve also grown some from seed this year. Very easy, but obviously only v. small plants this year.
Heavenly! We had that lily too, at one time. Happy Sunday, Tish xx
And to you too, Jo. We are definitely happy with the cooler weather 🙂
Good to see so many of your plants thriving in the heat even if a few of them are less keen. We’ve found the same with ours, but on the whole I think like me they’ll be glad of some more moderate weather this week 🙂 I love your sweet peas, and the oregano is lovely too – I didn’t know you could get ornamental varieties like that.
There are two or three variations on the Kent Beauty oregano, Sarah. Also one with plain buttery yellow leaves. They’re generally such obliging plants. I was v. pleased to find there are so many versions – short to tall and draping. Also variegated.
thanks for all this nature beauty! great post, Tish
Many thanks, Yvette 🙂
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Your garden and colourful flowers, Tish, lift my spirits on this rainy day. 🌸
That’s lovely to hear, Flavia. Thank you.
Your garden is beautiful!
Thank you, Jennie.
You’re welcome.
Spectacular capture of the mullein moth caterpillar – I realize its presence is not a good for the plants, but it is so lovely! (I am not generally a bug fan, but caterpillars I love so much)
You’re right, Ju-Lyn – not too good for the verbascum, but what a wonder design-wise.