Some of you will remember a blog in February 2017 when a storm took out part of an old apple tree in the middle of our garden. After much debate (thanks for your inputs) we decided to keep the remaining tree.
In June 2018 our friend pointed out that the apple tree had taken on the shape of a chicken.
Then last week the weather decided it could do another topiary job of the tree.
This time it really does look like the end. The tree , especially when the Rosa Rambling Rector was in flower, was an important focal point within the garden. So removing it will be sad but hopefully will open up new opportunities.
The apple tree was not the only casualty with Rosa ‘Blush Noisette’ being blown off the pergola although fortunately this was repairable.
The following summer delights in the garden
The clematis and roses are all doing well this year.
This corner always looks good in the summer with the pink Geranium palmatum, roses and delphiniums. Last autumn I added the posts at the back to provided support for Rosa ‘Iceberg’ and Rosa ‘New Dawn’ as they always got lost behind the flowers.
Rosa ‘New Dawn’ has been here for at least 30 years and is looking healthier than ever.
Rosa ‘Iceberg’ has been in for about ten years can now be seen.
Often mistaken for a Rose , Carpenteria californica at the back has been looking great, probably benefiting from the mild winter we had. The pink rose is Rosa ‘Irene Watts’
And now for the snakes.
The mild winter has certainly helped the grass snake population. As soon as the sun comes out you can find them in the garden. This beauty was taking an early morning swim in one of our ponds, probably after our fish for breakfast!
Have just been away for two weeks following Hoby Open Gardens and it has been hot; very hot for England at 32 centigrade! And we continue to have had no rain of any consequence since the middle of May. 
We left a garden looking quite good but now it is crisp and dry. Our soil is a sandy loam and tends to dry out quickly but in an English climate this is usually not an issue..
The main lawn was the walled kitchen garden for a large house next door and the interesting thing now is that wherever there were paths in the original kitchen garden the lawn drys out fastest as you can see in the above.
The lawn on June 16th before the sun!
After a hectic week getting everything ready the weekend arrived and was a great success. Eleven gardens opened, included Glebe House, and in addition we provided lunches, tombolas, an art exhibition, plant stalls,a white elephant stall (ie a junk stall), a Pimms bar and lets not forget the cream teas. Our garden was one of the venues for cream teas and after Diane had made 250 scones we made almost £900 on the teas alone. Overall the money is still being counted but it looks like we have made almost £7500 which, for a village of just 100 houses, is excellent. The money is going to do some improvements in our 13th century village church.
The roses were stunning with Rosa Rambling Rector covering the old apple tree and Rosa Bobby James on the right just coming into flower. Probably one of the best comments was when one of the visitors said she always came into our garden to see the rose ‘Rampant Rector’!
The main pond had recovered from when it 
and there were no 
We only have one hanging basket and luckily it is on automatic watering so it just as good now.
The Delphinium Black Knight and Rosa ‘Iceberg’ made a great show.
This shrub always provides interest. It is Carpenteria californica with Rosa ‘Irene Watts’ in the foreground. Carpenteria californica is quite a rare plant in English gardens and it needs a sheltered position as it is rather tender.
June is peak season for poppies which self seed throughout the garden.
As you can see the hedges had not been cut. Actually we ran out of time, however, the current thinking is that it is better to cut box hedging a little later to help prevent blight.
Looking down the garden Rosa Rambling Rector has taken over the apple tree which was damaged earlier this year in a 
Towards the garden wall Rosa Blush Noisette on the pergola in the corner.
Across the large pond a multitude of blooms of delphiniums, geraniums etc.
And looking back towards the pleached lime hedge the underplanting of Rosa Alfred de Dalmas and Lavandula augustifolia ‘Hidcote’ is all coming together.
Rosa Joseph’s Coat produces these interesting multi coloured blooms.
Clematis Rhapsody always puts on a good display.
Recently I talked about the 
Potentilla atrosanguinea var. argyrophylla Scarlet Starlit providing bright red stars in the border.
Near the Delphinium Black Knight a Rosa Iceberg in flower.
Knautia macedonica probably a self set but the colour combination works well.
Hosta Sun & Substance together with Clematis Boulevard Angelique in a lead planter. This planter is on automatic watering. Last year the drain holes blocked and the planter was flooded for some time. Everything was removed and new drain holes made. The original clematis died but the hosta has come back and shows great promise with the new clematis.
Rosa Bonica as a standard rose, newly planted last year.
Clematis Madame Julia Correvon another reliable clematis.
The large pink flowered plant is Geranium palmatum which has a habit of self seeding everywhere but how can you fault it when it looks like this.
The first dahlia in flower this year, Dahlia David Howard.
Salvia nemorosa Ostfriesland (East Friesland)
Rosa Felicite Perpetue along the bottom of the garden.
Sambucus nigra Lace Lady
Lysimachia atropurpurea Beaujolais. The problem with plant nurseries is that you always see something that you have not got but feel you have a place for it. This was one such purchase last week!
The largest Crambe Cordifolia we have ever grown.
The magic of some clematis does not die when the flowers are over. Gold seed heads remain.
More Allium Christophii
Tradescantia Innocence, what more is there to like!
Glebe House Garden 