Your garden looks absolutely brilliant, Keith. Its a pleasure to view.
One thing I'd like to comment on right away, is how you have managed to combine shrubs and flowers, in that lovely border on the left.
I find that a very difficult challenge. What are your favourites in that border?
Shame you had to take up the Dahlias. They are usually at their best at this time of year around my parts.
My neighbour a short distance away has a fine show yet. Mine were absolutely terrible this year. They just didnt grow with any strength. I'm still waiting for my first flower from The Bishop of Llandaff
I'm afraid I didnt have time this year
I went looking for signs of a nice one, Ellen Houston a couple of weeks ago. After some weeding, I found a few shoots at ground level.
I never lift my dahlias. I mark the spots woth a ring of sticks. Normally I clear weeds in spring and apply slug pellets (sorry, nature lovers). The Bishop has survived a number of years now, and in a fairly damp spot - still survives the frost.
Eventually they die out, of course.
Do you not find them difficult to over-winter after lifting? A Dahlia expert I know lifts his and stores them in a room in his house (amazing what you can get away with when you are a bachelor!) He tells me that he still loses tubers.
