It’s been a while since my last six. The garden has been growing and this week shows the front and back gardens in their shaggy glory. I’ve been tidying, lifting and dividing this morning but rain stopped play, so no excuse to not post a six.

  1. Sarcophagus bed – The jasminoides trachelsophermum continues to grow very well and the fence is beginning to look as I’d imagined. I must practice patience (ha!)

2. Pittosporum hedge – This has gotten away from me and now I can’t reach the top with the hedge trimmer without some risky ladder manouevres. Everything along the fence line has had a growth spurt, particularly the wisteria which is now over the pergola roof.

3. North border – This border needs a little editing. I think the thalictrum would prefer a little more sun so that will move to the herbaceous border. At the other end the blue hydrangea and japanese anemome is a good combination, better if I remember to get in early with supports for the anemome next year.

4. Dahlias – Deadheading is on my list this weekend. Dahlias Henriette and Karma Choc are still going strong.

5. View from the patio – here’s the whole shaggy story. Note more fence panels are painted, of those to do, three need to be replaced which may or may not happen next year…

6. Front garden – this is the ‘before’ shot. This morning I lifted and divided a Shasta daisy which was squeezing out the shrub rose Charles Austin. The rose has more space and a third of the original Shasta is at the back of the salvia Amistad. My thinking is the daisy flowers before the salvia and by the time the salvia has gotten going it will hide the plain green stems. Well, that’s my plan no doubt the plants will have something else in mind.

The rain has stopped and the sun has popped out, so time for me to finish off the front garden. Remember to visit Jim’s page to catch-up with the rest of the sixers.