The pink flowers above are the fashionably late flowering perennials, Echinacea purpurea – just bursting out now. There are other interesting varieties and beautiful shades of Echinacea purpurea but none are as reliably hardy as this tough old boot and it is fabulous.

This is one of my first Dahlias in flower this season – D.’Karma Chocolate’ with a background of Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’, a white Hydrangea and brilliant red Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’. I love the colour combo.

This bright pink Lychnis coronaria is another ‘Free spirit’ self-seeding around the garden and amazingly adding a well spaced and enjoyable colour combination to the purple Phlox in this border.

I had to add this photo of Trachelospernum jasminoides flowering madly at the front door. The perfume of this evergreen climber is heavenly.

Note to self : Allium sphaerocephalon need staking early on. We missed the opportunity and what a disaster. Allium sphaerocephalon luckily, look great in a vase.