Snapping the bees

Bees and flowers work together for their mutual benefit - the bee above is heavy enough to push down on the snap dragon and cause it to open so that the bee can gain access to the nectar and cover itself in pollen in the process. A perfect partnership in action.

Late summer at Kew

The Hive at Kew Gardens is a spectacular sight - especially when seen from within. It has lots of lights on it too, so must look even better in the evening. There were no bees inside it, thank goodness, but plenty buzzing around outside on the wildflowers.

This lush border was looking gorgeous outside the Princess of Wales glasshouse - lots of large leaved Cannas, Begonias and Busy Lizzies in sumptuous sizzling colours.

Cut some flowers

There are some flowers that need to be cut on a regular basis -  Cosmos and perennial Dahlias will keep on blooming until the frosts if regularly dead-headed, but if you take a bit more stem you can enjoy the flowers in a vase and savour those summer moments - there are still lots of lovely warm days to come, I'm sure, but the garden is responding to the falling light levels and it is much cooler at the ends of the day...

Choose your colour scheme - these oranges and yellows are flowers - Dahlias, sunflowers and interloping Crocosmia from the veg patch...

... while the pastel shades come from the main garden, where it's all a bit more demure. There are less roses about, but lots of late summer Asters, Penstemon and a second flush from the monster Lupin (smaller and more delicate in its second flush).

Late summer border edit

Pep up boring borders with some late summer additions: Dahlias, Heleniums, Crocosmia, Echinacea and Asters will enliven any scheme. Add foliage plants like Cotinus, evergreen Euphorbias, dogwoods, grasses and the border will sing on right through autumn and winter 

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

Dhalias

Asters, Persicaria, Miscanthus and Dahlias - a happy autumnal mix at Great Dixter

hornbrookmanor.co.uk

Summer is still here, but...

Hey hey, I saved a worm today...

Look after your soil - mulch with organic matter, but don't dig it in, as this upsets the underground ecosystem. #no dig gardening #worms #organic

'Phew! Spring at last

It's still too cold to sow much directly outside (you could try broad beans, peas and spinach), much safer to start them off under cover and plant them out in a few weeks time. Nothing is more heartening than seeing those tiny shoots appearing.