The average temperature was 16.9C with a minimum of 9.3C and maximum of 28.0C. Last year the average was 15.1C (min 7.3C, max 27.0C), so it was warmer than last year.

There was 63mm of rain, almost identical to last years 62mm.

You can compare with last year.

Ligularia 'Little rocket'

Just the second year, but already lots of flower spikes on this.

Ligularia × yoshizoeana 'Palmatiloba'

This is a very big plant and I need to move nearby plants that are being shaded out.

Alstroemeria Summer Red 'Tessumred' (Summer Paradise Series)

With the yellow Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander' behind.

Ligularia 'Zepter'

In the foreground, the large yellow flowered plant behind is the L. 'Palmatiloba'

Teasel

I don't really have room for one Teasel, never mind the three large ones that I currently have, it wasn't a great idea to let so many grow. I hope this gives a reasonable idea of just how large and branched it is.

I saw a seedling that looked interesting and could be a Leucanthemum, and it has indeed turned out to be one. It is much nicer than the nearby one which has rolled petals which sounded interesting when I bought it but which I don't really care for much.

Grown from seed from the Hardy Plant Society. I was supposed to be Salvia × superba so was a suprise to turn out to be Salvia forsskaolii instead.

The average temperature was 15.1C with a minimum of 6.3C and maximum of 25.2C. Last year the average was 14.1C (min 3.2C, max 30.1C), so it was warmer than last year.

It was much drier this year only 16mm of rain compared to 89mm last year.

You can compare with last year.

First picture is a view of part of the the back border. Here you can see:

• Geranium × magnificum (in the foreground)
• Ligularia 'Little rocket' (with dark stems and buds, left)
• Verbascum 'Pink domino' (Cotswold Group)
• Geum 'Pink petticoats' (middle, center)
• Knautia macedonica 'Melton Pastels' (back left)

With one of the Teasels towering in the background with a small bud at the top.

Lupins, the blue one is Lupinus 'Persian Slipper' and the red one is Lupinus 'My castle' (brick red).

The most amazing Geranium: Geranium × magnificum, shame it flowers for such a short time.

The Cordyline has two flower spikes this year.

So it is orchid time again. A new one has appeared and one of the originals now has three flowering spikes.

This is the one by the back door. Its not a great growing position being right at the edge of the path, but it is doing fine, although not increasing like the other original one.

This is the other original one. It now has three flowers. Probably not fully out yet.

This is the one that appeared this year, the flower is much smaller in the first year.

These are the three that first appeared last year.

The following pictures are closer pictures of the newer ones.

The average temperature was 9.4C with a minimum of -0.7C and maximum of 20.2C. Last year the average was 12.3C (min 0.1C, max 27.3C), so it was cooler than last year. There was 77mm of rain, whereas last year there was 8mm.

The cold spell continued and there were 2 days when the temperature dropped below zero. Last year was more normal with none.