The garden is continuing to struggle with lack of water – particularly after our two week absence – and consequently I’ve decided to get ‘up close and personal’ for today’s GBBD, and have taken my macro lens on safari.
My first stop was a bed I’ve ‘borrowed’ from a neighbour (no, not the cutting garden, featured in last month’s GBBD, another neighbour) where I’ve planted a lot of orangey annuals – Helianthus Claret, Calendula officinalis Neon, Calendula officinalis Indian Prince and Tihonia rotundiflora ‘Torch’.
Back in my garden, I also have a couple of orange blooms. Firstly Abutilon Orange Marion which we bought last year at the end of the summer, from a reduced stand at Wisley. It was overwintered in the (unheated) greenhouse, and did look very sorry for itself, but was cut back hard and this year has done really well in its position in a pot on the barrow. During the spring it had lots of little seedlings around the main stem and these have all been potted on. I’m not entirely sure the garden needs six more orange abutilons, but how could I resist?
And the second is unnamed as it was a gift, but it has small flowers, as you can see, raised above chive like leaves. I have a number of these in pots after I divided the original, which are destined for the Med Beds, but like so many things, remain unplanted.
Away from orange, I have a number of (also unnamed) salvias flowering now
as well as plenty of pelargoniums. The first is dark. like Lord Bute, but doesn’t have the paler edging. The second is a lovely dainty scented leaf variety and the third is Pelargonium Sidoides. I love these flowers too, but I’ve found they are getting a little ‘leggy’ by this time of the year.
And to finish, I love green flowers, and my Bells of Ireland (Molucella laevis) have been best ever this year. 
Unfortunately, I’m not so convinced about my so called Aster chinensis ‘Hulk.’ I don’t remember Lou Ferrigno bursting out of his shirt and turning pink, but perhaps that’s just me.
With thanks as ever to Carol at May Dream Gardens for hosting GBBD.
This is a lovely idea. I wonder if I’m too late to join?
Lovely photos of some gorgeous annuals. Tithonia is gorgeous, I grew some this year too. I love salvias too and I can never remember the names. Most of them come from bits I begged from friends. They are so easy from cuttings.
Pelargonium sidoides is one of my most favourite geraniums. I love the dark velvet colour of its delicate flowers. Great photos.D.