Following on from a very dry April and May, June has ushered in cooler weather and sporadic heavy showers. Hoorah! (I’m such a killjoy). After one such downpour, I walked about the Priory gardens and took a few photos. Why is it that a plant invariably looks better with a few drops of dew or rain on a leaf or petal?
Opium poppies (Papaver somniferum) grow like weeds (thankfully); popping up pretty much everywhere at the Priory. Their seed is obviously in the leaf mould that I use as a mulch. Some of the young trees that I have mulched up on the drive now have attendant poppies in tow. And whilst some of the flowers are far too blousy for my taste or pop up in an unwanted spot, they are easily pulled up.
Introduced from my own garden, the flowers of Arum lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) are deathly beautiful and absolutely unblemished on opening. Perfect. These sit at the back of the new tropical border. Hardly tropical but with lovely big, spade like leaves they do look the part and share space with, amongst others,
Lily Black Pearl,
the hardy banana, Musa bajoo
and Canna Tropicana Black; not yet in flower though the leaves are looking good.
In the long borders is this pink hardy geranium, variety unknown.
I really like Phygellus, the cape fuchsia. This is one of two I grow. The other has a lime green flower.
At long, long last the everlasting sweet pea (Lathyrus latifolius), that I sowed two years ago is flowering. Reminds me of the grass vetchling in “Priory Picture Post # 6.“
Looking very exotic is this hosta flower spike.
Lychnis coronaria flowers often look rather bedraggled and sad after rain. But this one just about manages to carry it off.
Each year, I sow white foxgloves from seed. And perhaps more than any other flower they demand a few drops of water on them!
Growing the white form doesn’t mean I can’t have the common one too.
Above and around the front door is this big and very old, climbing rose. Looks to me like New Dawn.
Over in the parking area, I have planted a row of four Ferdinand Pichard. I love this rose. Strongly scented, resilient to rust and blackspot and repeat flowering.
And finally, I was given this echinops and am pleased that it is now self seeding freely. It stands about seven foot tall and the flower heads are worthy of close study (though you may need a step ladder). And on doing so, you notice that they have managed to hold on to perfectly round globules of rain. Which is pleasing. As is the word globules.
The Anxious Gardener 
They are lovely, Janet. My lime green one is only just flowering now – and don't worry I have photographed it …
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Not many people (read garden bloggers) photograph phygellius. I think they are great plants and the inside of the flower is worth a look.
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Hi Jason, I'll send you one of my wordy emails re close-ups – you lucky thing! But you did ask! To lose four chickens must be just too upsetting, one was bad enough. We were sitting watching TV last night and a young fox, not much more than a cub, walked up to our patio doors and peered in at us. The cheek.
Thanks Cathy and Steve, we have something here in the UK called the National Garden Scheme where private gardens are open to the public for a handful of days per year (you have them in the US too, as I visited one in Boston a few years ago). One day I should love to see the Priory join that scheme.
Hi Stacy, the rain has been great though being a contrary gardener, I've had enough now. The grass has exploded back into growth but is often too wet to mow and there are suddenly weeds everywhere. Arrghh. Feeling a bit swamped. And yeah, fuchsia is a tricksey one, isn't it?!
Hi The Wife, thank you, I love foxgloves too and have planted dozens since I started at the Priory.
Dave
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I have been taking rain photo's today – but yours are much more lovely! I love the foxglove.
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Congratulations on your rain–I'm envious! No matter how much you water with a hose, somehow plants know the difference between “fake” piped-in water and the real deal. Gorgeous photos as always. The cape fuchsia ::looks up spelling again:: and echinops have stolen my heart for the day.
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Amazing photographs. It would be a treat to see the entire garden!
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Hi Dave,
How do you get such great closeups??? When I try and get that close my camera starts whirring and buzzing and refuses to snap! Lovely climbing rose and the echinops is a wonderful architectural plant. Good luck with the chickens too; we used to have 4 but were all snaffled up by foxes, hope yours fare better.
Jason.
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Hi PG, the echinops seems very strurdy – but perhaps I'm being naive and it will come crashing down. It survived last year, he added hopefully.
Hi EvoOrganic, ha! Thanks.
Dave
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Great pictures! Each picture is more beautiful than the next.
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I agree flowers look better with raindrops on them. I have given up on echinops as mine seem to blow over easily and I always forget to stake them
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