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.