Well, that’s it for another year. Driftwood finally closed the garden gate this week after welcoming over 700 visitors this season, almost half of them for a pre-booked, private visit.

I’m quite amazed at how much we have raised for charity again but more on that, when I’ve finalised all the totals in the coming week or so.

It has been a very different year. The stress has been slightly less this year, as we have not had such large numbers of visitors in the garden at any one time, for obvious reasons.

Nonetheless, it has still required me to bake over 550 portions of cake for visitors to enjoy. The most popular by far has been cappuccino cake.

Just coming into its own in the garden this week is my beautiful buddleja buzz magenta. It is a new twist on a much-loved garden favourite.

Buzz is the world’s first patio buddleja. These attractive, compact plants are loved by bees and butterflies, but unlike some of their counterparts, won’t take over your garden. It is very easy to grow and problem-free with a super long-flowering period.

The shrubs are perfectly proportioned to suit a patio pot and all smaller gardens. Needless to say, they are a big draw for butterflies. The blooms are almost electric in colour and really stand out.

Mine is located behind the pond and it is one of the first plants visitors see when they enter the back garden.

I had allowed mine to get a little tall last year and the winds repeatedly beat it down. Last spring, I cut it right back and it is now a perfect height to avoid the strong winds.

This week, I have had to start to remove some of the summer annuals, the wet weather has forced them to give in, having been repeatedly beaten by heavy rain, turning the blooms and delicate leaves to pulp.

Thank goodness they lasted for the duration of the garden openings.

After a short break away from the garden, there will be much to do in readiness for the project lined up in a few weeks of having a large sandstone circle patio created at the back of the house.

I’ll need to remove the plants I want to relocate, ahead of the work, to ensure that they are not damaged.

Heaven knows where I will store them until they can be replanted in the new set up, but I’m sure I’ll find somewhere.

Decisions will have to be made, later this month, on commitments for opening for the National Garden Scheme again in 2022, watch this space

Read more of Geoff’s garden at www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk

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