Over-abundant sunshiny flowers

All of the rudbeckias in the top picture are self-seeded plants from the original Rudbeckia hirta 'Rustic Dwarf' seedlings I grew.  The diversity and warmth of their colours has lightened our days over the last couple of months; with the wettest June and July we have had in the six years we have lived here. They cluster happily beneath the canopy of the Liquidambar styraciflua. 

Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivanti 'Goldsturm' came with us from Sussex.  This has hybridised with the 'Rustic Dwarf' seedlings; some of which are four or five years old. Some of these seedlings have more reflexed petals with the deeper yellow and autumnal shades of 'Rustic Dwarf'.

They have been our constant sunshine in an otherwise dreary couple of months.

The Owl in Flight

This owl occupied a a rectangular sandstone block set within a topiaried cotoneaster in the garden at Orchards; his presence was much less obvious and less striking than it is now.  Our Italian neighbours who are more akin to graceful ladies, cherubs or barely clothed men find this owl a little 'spooky'.  I think he has a drama of his own. 

Struggling for Survival

Geranium nodosum 'Saucy Charlie'

Many of the geraniums I brought from my garden at Orchards struggle to survive in our Italian garden.  The shade that we have is very dry, the soil very thin and stony; and in winter with the sun lower in the sky, the frozen ground in the shadiest areas remain so for weeks at a time.  This pretty geranium was named after my daughter Sorcha.  'Saucy Charlie' was the name given to Sorcha by my mother. It is surviving but only just.

Struggling for Survival

Geranium nodosum 'Saucy Charlie'

Many of the geraniums I brought from my garden at Orchards struggle to survive in our Italian garden.  The shade that we have is very dry, the soil very thin and stony; and in winter with the sun lower in the sky the frozen ground in the shadiest areas remain so for weeks at a time.  This pretty geranium was named after my daughter Sorcha.  'Saucy Charlie' was the name given to Sorcha by my mother. It is surviving but only just.

Dianthus arenarius

This little plant of Dianthus arenarius has been with me for many years.  It has a neat, compact habit with bright green grass-like foliage and enjoys the shade.  It's raggetty petals are part of its charm. This year it has flowered better than ever, flowering from early April and still going strong.  It is sweetly fragrant too.

The Last day of May

The seasons helter-skelter in this part of Italy - even dryness doesn't halt the swift onslaught of flowers.  Roses which we would enjoy in June in the UK are all but over by the end of May - many of mine should be repeat flowering; but they are reluctant to do so here.  Stipa giagantea has never attained the lofty heights it did in Sussex, the stems managing a modest 3 to 4 feet against the 6-8 feet in the Yew border at Orchards. We moved it in early spring out from under the shade of the Magnolia grandiflora and placed it in front of the large rock which sits in the middle of the garden.  Maybe the stems are a little longer than before.

An English Garden in Como

As April rushes on, it is nearly six years since we arrived here; my husband says at least 1/3 of the removal van was full of plants from our beautiful Sussex garden.  I admit it may have been 1/4 full of the choicest and more sentimental of the plants from my garden.  If I had my way we would have had a convoy!