This week the first Poppy flowered, and the little pearly bulbs C’s father gave me from his garden revealed themselves to be (I think) Lachenalia bulbifera. The first pale green flowers of Hellebore x sternii seem a good companion, set with limes, in front of the lime trees, which are sheltering a large group of sparrows from the occasional rain. You wouldn’t know they were there, but every time I get too close the tree erupts into squabbling and shuffling.
There are the first Grevillia flowers as well, curled up like snails and almost the same pale green as the Hellebores. The beautifully scented shrubby wallflower, lemon coloured Erysimum with burgundy pointed buds, the yellow leaves of Escallonia Gold Brian, a bud of Narcissus ‘Indian Maid’, a Mustard flower, a Dill, and the Milkweed / Swan Plant seed pods add the lemon and pale lime colours I was looking for. The yellow Kniphofia is a tiny bit too warm a yellow – but once I picked it I didn’t want to waste it, since I was depriving the bees of a treat.
At Rambling in the Garden this week Cathy has been carried away in an extravaganza of colour by full summer flowers.
Absent Gardener 
I love your collection of lime greens with the poppy contrast – it is good to be reminded how valuable green is in our gardens, whatever the season. Thank you for sharing
Thank you, that’s true, what would we do without green? 🙂
Are the Swan plant seed pods the prickly looking things? Those are interesting.
Yes, they are sort of shaped like a fat, short-necked swan. I used to think the plants were quite ugly because I had only seen spindly ones in pots, but they grow into quite a big plant and I quite like them now. The Monarchs need them to feed caterpillars and the bees like the flowers.
Thanks. I will have to look these up.
A beautiful Hellebore. Lime green found its way into my vase today as well. Such a satisfying color on its own and it looks great with everything.
I love your limelight Hydrangea, it looks like it would be right at home here, and such a cooling colour for summer.
So beautiful – cool with a pop of colour. It’s nice to see hellebore again. This must mean your warmth is returning? 🙂
Well, we have had a nice June – not quite as much rain as usual. But the worst is probably yet to come in terms of stormy weather – certainly too early for starting summer seedlings. However the bees have started ‘laying’ again, so they Are getting ready.
I love all the lime touches. I just picked up a specimen of that same milkweed, not yet in bloom. It goes by the somewhat naughty name of “family jewels” here.
Oh yes, I have one which is like the swan plant but the seed pods are more round and slightly wrinkled/lumpy – always attracts attention 🙂
OK, I officially want to move and be your neighbor. What an amazing array of flowers. Love it.
Thank you It’s a lovely place here, we don’t have mangos though 🙂 Or Frangipani where I am 😦
There is always a trade off.
I think Roses might do it.
Love the form of some of the ‘flowers’ you have chosen, the Lime and green work so well together then that this splash of red..perfect.
Thank you 🙂
Such a beautiful collection of shades of green. The yellow and red highlights perfectly complement the greens. I enjoy looking at your vases.