The early summer surge

Suddenly we find the gardens have flung themselves from a sea of leafy potential into an eruption of joyous abundance, and far more flowers than we can possibly find the time to pick. Foxgloves, roses, lupins, ramblers, honeysuckle, frothy foliage plants, shrubs and peonies are all a-scramble to show what they can do with a good wet winter and a few weeks of sunshine. With half the annuals still waiting to go out into the ground and a never-ending tussle with the weeds - which have also had an excellent spring - the race is on.