Le Jardin in the s'burbs

Over the years the garden has been sorely neglected, what with going out to work and raising the children etc. Back in the day, I read 'the' baby rearing book which counselled against certain plants as they were poisonous or could irritate the skin on contact. So I avoided having those plants in my garden in case I had one of the babies eat something they shouldn't of. OF COURSE I should have ignored that book since none of my babies could crawl in the summer months when they were out in the garden and when they were toddlers didn't seem to show any appreciation of plants let alone interest in stuffing their mouths with green matter!

Oh well lesson learnt - but now I can start getting in plants to add colour and interest rather than green, on green, on green.

Verbena Lollipop - attracts lots of insects, grows really tall so plant at the back (unlike me as I had put it in the front of the border!). I got mine from Crocus a lovely informative gardening website which stocks plants that have been used at the Chelsea Flower show.

Poppies - 40p from Waitrose - go on a Monday afternoon when the plants are all discounted

Wild Edric rose - has really spiky thorns, beautiful rosey scent. I picked this thinking it may help deter the local foxes from jumping over the fence...but nah they are hard core around here. Bought from David Austin Roses as bare roots. They stock a huge selection of roses and the ones I have from there are all doing so well, flowering in the first growing season. Even the MiL was pleased with the ones I sent to her as a gift.

Fox gloves - poisonous if eaten but I should have included these in my garden years ago at we have the perfect shady corner for them. Kids love seeing the bumble bees crawl out of them.

My mum popped this into the garden - think its a Calla lily. Note the mint which has really grown in this shady spot (the garden faces North and is mostly in shade).