The solitary poppy that flowered last year has seeded itself all around the pergola and soon I may have to lift the plants from the beds before they overwhelm the area.

This year Jeremy grew, from seed, Alyssum and sweet peas and night scented stock. There are several types of perfumed lavender, Poundland lilies that are just about to flower, hanging baskets, dianthus – pink and white – agapanthus plants that will flower later in the summer,hollyhocks, herbs in pots and in the beds, strong and vigorous mint of more than one variety, nasturtiums in several shades, purple aubrietia and many more flowering shrubs whose names I once knew (when I planted them) but have forgotten.


Attached to the wooden frame of the pergola are two bird boxes, one of which was used by a pair of tits to raise its young, and we also have a bee hotel but we do not think it has had a great many residents. How can you tell? This area was empty when we arrived nearly two years ago save for the wooden structure and a bed of weeds and an overgrown honeysuckle near the hedge. Repeated weeding and filling the gaps with plants has provided us with a beautiful area in which to rock in the rocking chairs, drink a cup of tea and……plan the next campaign!