Beautiful butterflies in my garden, Malvern, Worcester.

Cabbage White butterfly

I have at last found the secret to photographing butterflies. I have been trying to photograph the butterflies in my garden for weeks but they kept flying off before I could focus the camera. If you go out first thing on a sunny morning they haven't yet warmed up enough to fly off as quickly as they do later on. Using this tip, hurrah I finally got some decent pictures. Hope you like them.

Peacock butterfly and a Bee

The garden they were enjoying

Romantic Roses, Malvern gardens, Worcestershire.

Roses are very much the traditional flower of the English country garden. Climbing, standard, bush and traditional forms, all are beautiful. They come in every colour and grow reliably. Dead head them once they bloom has passed it's best, and you prolong the number of flowers and length of flowering period. Enjoy these pictures of some of my roses.

Friend's garden, Maghull, Liverpool.

Day lillies

Happy bees

I visited a friend's garden in Liverpool, and was staggered by the number of bees and butteflies enjoying the sunshine and the many perfect blooms.

A pink  rose covered abour

Liatris with bee

More bee friendly blooms

Window box display

Beauty. Malvern, Worcestershire.

Allium, poppy and fritillery display

Poppy and allium display

 The early spring flowers colours have disappeared but still many of them are beautiful. I love the fat seed pods and find a real satisfaction in collecting the seeds once the pods brown and split. There is nothing like knowing next year there will be even more beautiful flowers because you collected the seed and prevented it from being wasted on the path or in the lawn. Some flowers though bring even more joy as once the seed is gone and the remains have browned and dried, they are perfect architectural wonders of nature, eco friendly flower displays which don't need to be watered, just put somewhere safe and admired for months to come.

Allium with fat green seed pods

Poppy flowers

Beautiful moth, Malvern, Worcestershire.

My garden is full of fabulous butterflies, peacock, admiral, orange tips, cabbage white and loads I don't know the name of. Unfortunately they flit around from flower to flower or dance in the air spinning around each other like the DNA helix. This constant movement makes them impossible to photograph. I have spent many hours attempting to sneak up on one or patiently sitting next to the flowers which a few moments before I sat down had been covered in butterflies, waiting for them to return. So far all this effort has been with out success. Which is why I love this moth so much. Not only is it rather stunning compared to the common brown moths, and the markings on its wings look so like love hearts, but it spent all day sitting on my honeysuckle having a snooze. Unfortunately I have no idea the name of the variety, but a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. If you know its's name or have any tips on photographing butterflies please I would love to know.

Garden looking gorgeous, Worcestershire.

Purple clematis

Hosta

Poppy and allium

The bright abundant flowers of spring are

 over,replaced by summers flowers, jewel

 bright and deeply fragrant blooms vying

 with one another for attention.

Scabious blue

Deep orange lily

Light blue allium

Yellow honeysuckle

Fragrant pink honeysuckle

Summerdays

Summerdays

Its beautiful here

Beneath the rose strewn arbour pink

Sit with me a while

And have an ice cool beer to drink.

We can talk for a time

About life and your dreams and the things you think.

Sky azure blue

Honeysuckle scents the air so heavy as to stink.

Enjoy this day

It will last when memories of cold ordinary ones do shrink.

Ephemeral summer

Retained in the heart as precious because it's over in a blink.

Relax, unwind and breathe.

The view is magical and accompanying glasses clink

Its beautiful here

Beneath the rose strewn arbour pink.

By Izzy Silver

Peony

 I adore peonies. The flowers are just so over the top, huge bowl bushy pom pom flowers with the sweetest gentle floral perfume. I have about twenty different types in my garden, but most are either white, pink or red. I know what they are all called when I see them in the garden as I can remember where I planted them, but as they are so similar looking I may make labelling errors. This year one I grew from seed having crossed two of my other varieties has flowered for the first time, so it is a world exclusive. It has a rather bedragled open bowl form and is rather Barbie pink in colour. If it were to have a name and if no-one is already using this name, I would like to call it "Lovely".

Shirley Temple

Salome

My own hybrid

Shirley Temple once fully open

Bowl of beauty

Sarah Berghause

Alba

Salome again

My hybrid again

Clematis

 Clematis are easy to grow climbing plants, which add height and colour to your garden. They use virtually no room as you just shove them in near the base of whatever it is you wish them to climb up. You can even plant them in pots next to walls and then climb them up trellis or wiring. In my garden they climb up either obelisks, trellis or over my balcony and up through my wisteria. Brilliant flowers for no real effort, though water any in pots in dry weather.