That Was Summer 2012, That Was (Part 3)

I neglected my flower garden a bit this year.  I had great plans to grow loads of flowers from seed and have them in the border by late summer.  The weather was so disgusting, though, that I put that idea on the back burner a bit.  I was also saved from doing much in the way of garden design by wildly out-of-control buddleia, viburnum and weigela which took up so much space I didn't actually have any to fill.  I did lay some ground-work for next Summer though, and some old favourites came back to delight me, as they do every year.

This is how my flower border changed over the year. 

February...

...April...

...May...

...June...

...August...

...October...

Yes, the photo above was taken in October.  Although snow in October isn't typical, even in the North-East! 

Early this year, I took my courage - and my secateurs - in both hands and pruned my clematises and my climbing rose.  This was nerve-wracking, as pruning clematises is hard.  I got a book out of the library and studied it closely, and even though I wasn't at all sure I'd done it properly (and knew I hadn't in one case, as I killed my lovely Clematis Seboldei by cutting it below the first bud by mistake) three out of four clematises survived and two flowered.  Not bad for a beginner!

I was very worried I'd done my lovely climbing rose some permanent damage by pruning it to what seemed to be a terrifyingly small stump, but I am pleased to report that it grew back as large as ever, and with nine buds as opposed to the previous year's one!

This last photo was taken on an October morning - isn't the dew gorgeous?

Speaking of pruning, I was very happy when my philadelphus flowered this Summer.  I pruned it incorrectly about three years ago and it was the first time it had flowered since!  I was therefore a bit gutted when, after I'd pruned philadephus, viburnum and weigela after they'd finished flowering that Mum told me I'd done it wrong again...wonder when I'll next see philadelphus blossom?!

Here is philadelphus, enjoying the Summer sun with some other old favourites.

And finally...I grew sweet peas.  I didn't have a clue what colour they'd turn out to be, and they turned out to be lovely deep pinks, pale pinks, mauves, whites and a beautiful creamy-lilac colour with lilac striations.  They loved being in a vase indoors.