What's looking good in your garden at the moment?

[CuttedUpPear]

I'm looking for some flowery things to fill some midsummer gaps in the border.
I have fuchsias, verbena bonariensis, marigolds, roses already in flower but have blank spaces. On their way are helianthemums and gazanias.

Anything looking particularly marvellous in yours this week?
We're in the west.

[MrsBertBibby]

Spireas looking good too, except the purple one looks all brown. I think the sun has been too much. Should have mulched it.

[MrsBertBibby]

No idea about hollyhock rust, I'm afraid, have to ask my dad.

Very pleased with myself for (fingers crossed) saving a phlox I got off the garden centre's sale bench. It had brown fungal stuff on the leaves, and so far, picking all the affected leaves off seems to have worked, lots of new growth and no more spots. Yet.

[JapanNextYear]

Perennial wallflower Bowles mauve. Loved by bees and flowers for ever. Idea for next year, cosmos, sowed a packet in modules and planted out where I usually have gaps this time of year they are all coming into flower now and I don't have the usual gaps

[PolkadotsAndMoonbeams]

Sweet peas are a mix this year - I've got some in pots that are doing really well and flowering beautifully (most on 10-12 inch stems!) but the ones in the garden aren't doing so well, but I'm holding out hope they'll flower a bit later. My grandma has ones which are huge, but just aren't flowering!

Strawberries and cream penstemon are looking gorgeous at the moment, and my begonias have bushed out well. I lost all my alyssum though (I think it was just too hot when I put it in), but the lobelia has grown to fill in the gaps.

I have pom pom marigolds and sunflowers on a bed together which is very cheerful - the dwarf sunflowers are out but the giants aren't quite there yet...

[ExConstance]

Not very sophisticated - I planted pot marigold seeds and nasturtiunum amongst the plants in my tiny veg plot this year. Not only are the veg looking magnificent for the first time ever but the flowers between them look lovely. My granny always did this and it has made me all smiley and happy thinking about her again and tending the plants. The weather this year - sunshine and showers- has really suited my garden.

[EBearhug]

Companion planting, ExConstance - www.thompson-morgan.com/companion-planting-guide

[CuttedUpPear]

MrsBertBibby please do ask your parents about hollyhock rust and how they deal with it.
I used to remove all of the bottom leaves and rely on underplanting to cover the naked stems.
But I don't think it was that effective or I'd still be growing hollyhocks now.

[MadSprocker]

None of my crocosima have flowered yet, but I am holding out hope.

Loads of cosmos, sweet peas have done really well, but we were away for a week, and loads gone to seed, so pruning over the next couple of days. Marigolds, dahlias and my fennel has gone mad.

[BrillianaHarvey]

Why have the sweet peas been so pants this year?
Also interested in solutions to hollyhock rust: I'm considering the nuclear option.
Have spent the evening hacking back lovage which was choking my delphiniums. Would it be worth giving them a feed or have I missed the boat?

[LuckyBitches]

Big drift of Centranthus in our sunny front garden - it's been flowering for months. More of less everything else looks shit, unfortunately.

[itshappenedagain]

I have a Passion flower which is covering the whole ugly wall. And all if roses seem to be coming out too.
It made me feel like I can actually garden.

[lasttimeround]

My salvia - I thought I'd killed it cutting it back. It sulked until about 6 weeks ago.

[applecatchers36]

My sweet peas have finished now. Cut last flowers and dug up plants.
Passion flower in bloom. Sebums flowering reddy - purple. My geraniums still in flower and last of dahlias. Put in Autumn flowering wall flowers today and have some Autumn flowering stocks to go in also.

Been excitedly looking at bulb catalogues thinking of colourful tulips etc..

[ChishandFips33]

Sedum are just starting to colour
Crocosmia, geranium, pinks and marguerite still going strong and bringing colour
Pieris (several varieties) still reddening up with new leaves
Castor oil plant getting bigger weekly!
Gladioli were beautiful but those recent high winds finished them off
Little red robins starting to thrive
Periwinkle cuttings have taken and are doing well

I have some furry leaved plants that I was given - produce lovely purple flowers and can grow quite tall (30-40cms) - when they get tatty I cut them back and more are produced! I'm in love with them for their ease and keenness!

It's all still very random - but surviving!!

[MyNightWithMaud]

Japanese anemones, fuchsias, geraniums and pelargoniums are looking good, but I do need to find some more September plants, as the garden peaks in the spring and slips downhill from there.

[shovetheholly]

Kirengeshoma is just starting to flower for the first time and I am pleased with them effect- quite relocate for a big plant!

Saw a lovely display of colchichum in town. I might get some for my own garden.

[bookbook]

I'm a bit like Maud - rather spring/early summer heavy.
But Japanese anemones, lots of fuschias, potentilla , buddleia were deadheaded a few weeks ago, but still a few more in flower, hydrangea . There is a last flush just staring on hypericum 'Hidcote'
I have pots with cosmos, cleome and marigolds , geraniums, petunias .
Creeping evergreen geraniums , and the first of the white cyclamens are just appearing
I also have a globe artichoke in flower ( it got stuck in a space when I had nowhere to put it in spring)

[shovetheholly]

I have some lovely schizostylis just about to flower- a really delicate light pink. Also some rather less delicate fuschia pink ones! Also, a white thalictrum that has been going ages - I'm really pleased with this - and a dark pink persicaria. And the ubiquitous verbena bonariensis - and some lovely low growing verbena rigida which is a shockingly bright purple. And the usual anemones . I do need more for this time of year, though. Am thinking of a late flowering clematis perhaps?

[bookbook]

• came on to say I had forgotten my purple hibiscus, but realised after reading this that I haven't seen my Schizostylis yet. I have leaves , but no flower buds - they were lovely last year :(

[applecatchers36]

Such a beautiful sunny October here in the South East.
Last of flowers really now geraniums still going and sedums. A rogue rose or nasturtium and some winter flowering pansy's.
Ordered some Sarah Raven tulips as a treat which arrived this morning ..they looked gorgeous in her catalogue and couldn't resist!

[brodchengretchen]

I have some deep orange-burgundy alstroemerias flowering next to ceratostigma willmottianum - the colours are stunning together, and a second flush climbing guinee rose, deep velvety red behind them. Melianthus major has done very well this year but not flowered which I don't mind, the blue-green of the leaves really seems to make the red blooms on its partner begonia fuchsoides stand out. Some self-seeded heartsease flowering about the place also makes me smile.

[Sweetpea021]

I've still got Cosmos in bloom, in fact one of my biggest Cosmos plants only started to show its colours last week, a bit late to the party! Still got Dahlias going strong and the old reliable Bowles Mauve. Sad that the coming cold weather will kill them all off photo was taken on the 27th October.

[shovetheholly]

Wow, those cosmos are spectacular!

[Sweetpea021]

Thanks Shove, they were late getting started so I think they're enjoying their moment in the spotlight

[applecatchers36]

Just checking in on spring gardens and what is good this year. Peonies are flowering, as are geraniums, violas, roses, margeurites, all blooming. Lillies in bud and sweet williams look promising. Last of the tulips and Narcissus have gone over. What's good in your garden?