Riot of colour

Our garden is quite subdued this July, not its usual riot of flowering perennials and annuals. This is because little has been done in way of maintenance since the builders moved in, in the middle of February.

Their work is very nearly completed now and as I write I am awaiting the delivery of a new garden shed after which work can begin in earnest on the redesign of the garden.

Most plants have survived well considering they have had all manner of building equipment on them and the ivy-covered wall that turned crispy brown after having a board leant against it for months has recovered remarkably quickly.

Thankfully there are a few flowers to admire including a new one to me this year bought at Parcevall Hall Gardens near Pately Bridge.

This peaceful 16-acre garden in Wharfedale is open from April to the end of October and has lots to look at including a woodland walk, a picnic area in the old apple orchard and a small, but well-stocked nursery.

I bought two plants, a dark-leafed Polemonium with large lavender flowers that has just sent up a new flowering stem after blooming in May and the beginning of June, and Athemis tinctoria 'Sauce Hollandaise'.

This latter plant has formed a large mound of dark feathery foliage covered in pale yellow, daisy-like flowers despite having several stems damaged just after planting. It likes a well-drained soil in sun and looks like it will continue to flower if the old blooms are cut back judging by the amount of buds on the lower stems.

Annuals are good colour providers in the garden at this time of year and there is a seemingly endless choice with new items appearing every year as well as the usual lobelias, busy lizzies and petunias. We have some beautiful wallflowers this summer filling a terracotta pot with dark foliage and rich red and deep pink velvety flowers. Standing next to another pot stuffed with pink and white dahlias, orange mimulus and white lobelia, they should provide colour until the first frosts.

Updated: 08:58 Saturday, July 12, 2003