Lunch al fresco

Homemade (not home-grown) spicy tom and lentil soup. Tasty. Good place to admire the new pot (a bargain at £10 due to a chip on the rim).

Next bed

This is my task for today - tidying up this bed next to the patio. It's got the usual bindweed all through it but the Helennium seem to have roots that look identical so it's hard to remove them. The trouble starts when you try to pull off the bindweed: it rips off the Helennium leaves making it look forlorn and scraggy.

I'm planning on softening the edge (which you can't quite see here) and planting in the adjoining gravel. I've a Sedum to move here and Alcehmilla Mollis (Lady's mantle) which should both work together; it's a nice sunny spot.

I'm going to interplant the Helennium with Solidago as they are supposed to be good partners. So it's all planned but I realise I haven't really addressed the lack of flowering in early summer - all these are late season. maybe I can squeeze in some bulbs.