I am pleased with the changes in the garden. There are mistakes, plenty in fact, but the garden is full of flowers and insects.
Some of my all time favourites are still around.......like cerinthe major purpurea.
Native ragged robin is doing well....planted amongst red campion, she is now a survivor. 
Oriental poppies are a feature in one of the island beds. Not my favourite, but I must say she cheers me. Bold and loud, she makes a statement I have learnt to like. I did not plant them.....the garden was full when we moved here. I removed all but a group in the island bed.
The lacy blooms of elder......I really love the flowers. The fragrance is intense in the garden as she frequents every boundary here. Lovely. 
Honeysuckle, so elegant, so timeless.
Marsh frogs breed in May/June. The biggest frog in Europe and a fairly recent import to Britain. A small number of marsh frogs were released in a garden on the edge of Romney Marsh in 1935. They have since spread to other parts of the South East. I am a thirty minute drive away from the marshes.This chap arrived eight days ago. He croaks all day, he croaks all night, all day, all night. Is there anyone out there with a lady marsh frog, pleeeeeeeease?
22 comments:
Your photographs are absolutely beautiful. I too love elder flowers - I love the way each flat head is made up of hundreds of tiny flowers each one perfect and the smell takes me back to chilchood. I picked a couple of cuttings in the wood this spring and planted them up as I want elder bushes in our boundary hedge and they are doing well though no flowers of course this year!
Jane
Hi Cheryl,
Wonderful to know you have a garden full of insects… Not too sure about the Frog croaking all day and night though, it might just drive you bonkers – that’s if the Rabbits don’t get there first!
Just waiting for my honeysuckle to flower… they’re in the front so when you walk past you get the heavenly scent… The space it not large enough though so I can see I will have to heavily chop them every year to keep them under control! :)
I have a white/yellow early flowerer and then a pink late dutch one. Gorgeous. I need one in the back garden too! I love them so much.
I don’t think any of my Ragged Robins have come up… I’ll have to do some Autumn sowings like you, and hope I’ll have more success next year.
Oh and the white elder cutting you gave me is doing well, but I think the black one has died. It too was doing so well but seems to have given up now :(
A couple of the red dogwoods are also growing nicely, but none of the yellow ones seem to have done much – initially they all looked good but something seems to have suddenly clicked and the next minute they gave up. Oh well, not to worry.
Tku Jane, how lovely that you chose to plant the elder. It is only when you study them closely that you can see just how pretty they are. Do you make elderflower cordial??
Hi LIz....what makes you think that I am not already bonkers??
Actually quite happy he is here. No doubt he is eating many slugs etc.......good little chap.
Love honeysuckle, I have nine in the garden. Most of them I planted in the hedgerow and now they selfseed all around the garden. The more the merrier....
We always have some failures with cuttings, seeds etc. That is just how it is sometimes. It is all trial and error, isn't it?? BUT FUN......
Ha, ha, I hope a female marsh frog finds its way to your garden, Cheryl, so you can get some peace and quiet:)
It's always a pleasure to see new blooms at your home. I never used to like poppies either, but I've grown to love their delicate, papery petals. Now if only I could grow some!
The poppy is one of my favorite flower but go by to quickly!! Your flowers are very pretty is the elder you speak of like the elder berry that can be made into a jam?? I love the frogs singing I live right next to a pond and in early spring I open my windows just to hear there choir singing night and day them it wains down as the spring moves on!!!
Rose.....I have never heard anything like it. I never realised that one frog could make so much noise. I love him.....
I love poppies but orange is not really my most favourite colour in the world......I wish they were a more subtle colour.
Hi Grammie G......I love poppies very much.....orange is just a little too bold for me.
The frog is fun.....to be truthful I feel a little sorry for him.
Elder....yes that is correct, the blooms will turn into those lovely black berries that the autumn bring.
Hi Cheryl, perhaps he just needs a kiss like the frogs in all the fairy tales:)
Love your ragged robin. Our elder is just beginning to set flowers.
Marnie
Marnie I had not thought of that. Poppi is visiting tomorrow, perhaps I could suggest that she kisses the frog!! I have a feeling she may decline.....
Cheryl, If Poppi kisses the frog, will you please document? All your flowers are truly lovely. My honeysuckle is blooming away right now too. I love to sit near it and breathe in the sweet fragrance.
Hi Amy....the honeysuckles scent is beautiful. I like to walk the garden in the evening and take in the perfume.
I doubt the frog would sit still long enough for little Poppi to kiss it. I also doubt that she would want to BUT if she did try I will take a photograph......
...all creatures great and small... I do love frogs and toads. I love their nightly serenades and the fact that they eat mosquitoes! I also love the Oriental Poppies. They are so showy and bright...and they remind me of my mother's garden when I was growing up...hmmmmm, I must put them on my list. ;-)
Do you ever make jam with Elder berries? I think I would let the birds feast on them, but the thought of making jam would be nice.
Your flowers are so pretty Cheryl. I wonder if that frog will eat more than what you want it to. It is a pretty frog. The Bullfrogs here in the states are a big frog and they eat small birds even. UGH...
Hi Jenny, frogs are great. I love them most of all because they feast on my slugs and other creatures that eat the plants.
I can understand your love of poppies....you have a connection with you mother, and that is rather nice.
Yes I have made jam, and it is lovely. I have also made a batter, collected very fresh blooms and lightly fried them. Add a dusting of icing sugar....delicious. And of course, many left for the birds......
Hi Lisa....sadly bullfrogs have been released in UK. They destroy a lot of our native species, which is very upsetting.
I do not know why people have to do this. It alters the balance of things.......
The marsh frog will be fine. He feasts on slugs and snails.....
Cheryl your flowers have such unusual names and oh so pretty!I too don't care for reds in my garden but I have a hummingbird garden where I planted some red bee balm to attract them..they like bold red flowers!
A frog croaking all day and night..a bit too much but I love having the frogs make a home in my pond!Perhaps earplugs your solution Cheryl.
Well, I don't think Poppi will kiss Froggie either. She's too smart to think that he'd really turn into a prince! LOL!
I know how those froggie songs go. Our neighbour has one in his garden and at this time of year, it really makes itself known. I just wish he would eat all the mosquitos! We have far too many here.
I love the way you take your flower pics; the angles are unique - a real pleasure to look at. And I'm constantly impressed that you know the proper names for them.
Thank you once again for your kind comments on my blog. As you know that healing garden really is special. Don't you just love this time of year? I do.
It looks lovely in your garden at this time of the year.
I wondered if you were going to any of the garden safaris (Cranbrook, Sissinghurst) ?
I will try to find some time.
(zvrk)
cheryl,
june brings so many wonderful opportunities to enjoy flora and fauna in the garden. i love seeing the blue sky behind many of your photos and imagining the warmth you are experiencing. gardening is a constant learning curve...things are always changing. i am glad you are enjoying what is doing well and understanding what isn't. there have been some major changes in our garden this year too and we are always trying to figure out what works best for us.
happy june days.
I keep coming back to this post. And it's not only the wonderful photographs. Whenever I see the title, that lovely song stays in my mind. What a nice feeling.
Absolutely beautiful garden and wildlife pictures! I love nature. Excellent photography as well :) I added your page to my blogroll. Please visit me anytime when you have a chance. Thanks!
Post a Comment