More Rain!

Rain clouds on the mountain looking towards Bilpin

I have planted the rest of my Angel Face roses.  Five went in last week on the western side of the driveway to replace the recently departed plumbago.  The other five I took walking yesterday along the front garden and anywhere I found a spot near things I thought would be complimentary to their pinky-mauveness, I popped a pot down and got digging.

One went near the white spirea that will replace the dreaded yellow broom, which was condemned to death months ago, even to the point of the spirea being planted right next door, but which hasn't been cut down as I've been waiting patiently till autumn when it's shade won't be required any more for the voilets growing underneath.  Did that make sense?  What I mean to say is that I have delayed the chopping down whilst it was summer because I needed the shade the broom created.  That's nearly as confused as the first time.  Anyway, one Angel Face went in between the white spirea and a buddleja alternifolia which I bought online last year.  It hasn't flowered here yet, here's one I had in my last garden.

I love this shrub, particularly the way the flowers bloom kind of spiraling around the stems.

Another one went in front of Brother Cadfael.

Here he is on a previous sunny day.  The dear Brother has grown up very tall and hopefully Angel Face will hide his long straight legs!

The other three I put in a sort of triangle between another heliotrope 'Lord Roberts', DA St Cecilia, and this rose which grows behind the lavender hedge.

I bought this rose at a reputable rose nursery - as DA Abraham Darby!  When it got it's first bloom, I stood there and scratched my head for quite a while, the second bloom I took back to the nursery and said to the lady "it's still got it's Abraham Darby label attached" to which she replied "well, take it off because it's not!!"

So this pretty rose is now know as 'Not Abraham Darby'!

But with a forecast of increasing rain over the weekend, this might be all the gardening that gets done this week.  In the meantime, I have progressed with the cross-stitch -

and as well have put the last round of blocks on the first of the pair of lap quilts!

Just got to make another 45 of the edge blocks and the second one will be done as well.  I have achieved everything but great gardening this week!