23 July

The hebes are still flowering, and seem much appreciated by the bees. This one, a large variety planted when we first began this garden, has not looked its best during the drought but with the good rains we've had this year it has put on its best show in a long time.

Some of the relatively new white hebes that struggled over summer have somewhat recovered and one has produced a bloom. I think I will take some cuttings and try this variety in a more sheltered position.

The diosmas have an unexpected sprinkling of flowers.

There's new growth on the photinias. The first one is Photinia 'Allyn Sprite', a lovely very small variety that doesn't seem to be sold any more. The second one is Photinia 'Super Hedge', one of the newer fast growing varieties.

There's mounds of eucy mulch and forest litter waiting to be spread. Funny how mulch fashions have changed. When we had our first home, black plastic with tan bark over the top was all the rage. In our next garden we used eucy mulch, which was supposed to move around less and stick to slopes better. We didn't bother with the new improved version of black plastic, weedmat. Then it was recognised that eucy mulch could have drawbacks and mulches that break down more quickly and feed the soil came into favour, so in this garden we also tried sugar cane mulch, but it breaks down very quickly and it blows around easily. We still like eucy mulch for informal paths and sugar cane mulch in certain applications. But this year we're trying forest litter on the garden beds.

My husband has made a start on the mulch, and pruned the salvias too.