Helen's Happy Gardens

Today's visit to the plant nursery was colourful. Im looking at plants for a whole garden replant that Im doing for a customer in their slightly tired and currently very empty garden on a housing development in North Swindon. More photos in early Autumn

I love Hydrangeas, they remind me of my childhood family garden in Cornwall.I planted this lovely paniculata ' Limelight' in a customers front garden back in the late Spring and its really blooming now. The flowers will turn a lovely dusky pink and grèen lt will reach up to 2metres eventually so Im keeping it in check to maintain the light in the windows nearby.

Encouraging birds into your outdoor space helps create a healthy garden, they eat some of the pesky pests, Aphids and Caterpillars and can even help pollinate some flowers. You might want to add bird boxes and plant berry producing shrubs and trees. Regularly leaving out food and water for drinking and bathing will invite some feathered friends in. This year my garden has been visited by Blackbirds, Dunnocks, Robins, Great T**s and Pigeons. Some more info www.rhs.org.uk/wildlife/garden-birds

Such a beautiful sight at my customers house today. I forgot to take a before and after photo of the back garden which I've given a sizable clear up over the past month or two.

" Beauty is where you find it"

Today's punchy orange and purple combo

Yellow and purple are complementary colours on the colour wheel and this garden seems to glow even on a dull morning.

I worked carefully around W***y the tortoise today, he is over 50 years old!

This garden has an uninterupted view of the Marlborough Downs.The mix of Common Mallow, vibrant Salvia and Geraniums add a pretty mix into the view

There are some things that I do let self seed in my garden and this is one of them. Its Lychnis Coronaria or Rose Campion. They are lovely for a cottage garden feel and will flower all.the way into August. These two appeared on the edge of my gravel area into the lawn. # letnaturedecide

Lots of beautiful plants going to their forever homes this week.

I love Astrantias, they are best for a shady or dappled light spot in the garden.There are lots of varieties of white, pink and red, these are Sparking Stars White' and they'll flower from June deep into August. Grouping multiple plants together gives impact and planting groups of 3,5,7,9.. (odd numbers) is visually appealing. # shadygarden

' Flowers are like friends; they bring colour to your world'

This beautiful border is in a garden I visit every 2 to 3 weeks. It was designed by award winning and ex RHS show judge Robin Williams . It includes a fig tree (unseen) Alchemilla Mollis Acanthus Spinosa,, Erigeron, Penstemon, currently healthy box topiary and a gorgeous H**e Kirkii which throws up a froth of white flowers over the summer.

I planted this part shade border last year, when it was completely empty except the overgrown ivy backdrop. I kept the native ivy as it covers an ugly fence, and the bees and insects love it. Planting uses whites, purples and blues and the repetition of the hardy geranium will give colour right through until Autumn

Today's loveliness. This area along the house faces west and gives a brilliant display of oranges and vivid blues. When these Eryngiums ( Sea Holly) bloom theyll glow a silver blue.

Today's 'helper' meet Lola, who especially loved my gardening gloves.

Pops of purple in one of today's gardens. This bed needed weeding and old forget me not and spent bluebell leaves were cleared along with some cheeky cleavers. The Centaurea and Salvia Caradonna pack a punch with the bright scarlett poppies( not seen in this photo)

A lonely allium gone rogue in the driveway last week.

This deep border produces colour right from the Spring through til the Autumn. The purples of the Hardy Geraniums and creamy yellow of the Anthemis ' Sauce Hollandaise' are a little bit dreamy!

I've just planted this Hydrangea Magical Greenfire which is sat in front of the most massive potted Hosta. The photo doesn't do the colour justice!

Took a totally lovely trip to at the weekend. I spent a year volunteering in the gardens there which ignited my love of plants. The Wisteria was still blooming and is said to be 200 years old!

This area behind a customer's greenhouse is a gravelled herb area filled with chives, curry plants, sage, thyme and interplanted with Alchemilla Mollis, Phlomis and Centaurea, the smell of the herbs makes me hungry!

Yesterday in a garden in Purton, I cam across some Jelly fungus for the very first time. As I reached out to touch it, imagine my surprise when it turned over and hopped off. Attached are photos of the fungus and a toad from the internet- for comparison. I need an eye test🤣🤣

This stunning Geum ' Totally Tangerine ' looks so pretty next to this Euphorbia. It's tough, reliable and will bloom and bloom from early summer into early Autumn. They also make fantastic cut flowers, but I love them best outdoors.

Tulips for Tuesday. I planted these for a customer last year as part of a potted bulb 'lasagne' so the snowdrops have passed and the muscari are fading to these bright rich red tulips. We fought the squirrels by laying Holly sprigs on the top, great tip!

A new border cut in today and planted up with a Hydrangea 'Limelight' Dicentra. Hellebores, Astrantias, Camassias, a Fern and an Acanthus Mollis for height and drama. I cant wait to see this border once its reached it's full height and spread and has some spring bulbs planted through.

These Marsh Marigolds really brightened up a gloomy morning in my customer's garden.They are a native plant, perfect for a pond edge, or wet woodland area. They provide shelter for frogs and early nectar for insects.

I LOVE a trip to the plant nursery. Lots of lovely new shrubs and perennials on their way to some of my customer's gardens this week.

Here's something you dont see that often. A Hosta with no slug damage!l This belongs to one of my customers, mine is planted in a pot, I'm trialling vaseline around the pot, wish me luck!