The sunny weather continues, although sometimes high clouds, so often associated with high pressure systems, cool things for a while – providing a welcome time to water. Late in the afternoon yesterday the light had a magical quality that seemed to illuminate the paler flowers in the garden. We are always encouraged to plant white flowers to brighten up dull or dark areas, and they do the job admirably. But in sun they have a special brilliance, especially when backlit, like the ‘Cathy’s Ghost’ lupins above and below. This seed-raised lupin has proved very amenable to less than ideal conditions and, because I leave a few pods to mature, has sown itself and come true to type.

In the opposite bed one of my favourite Siberian iris is just peaking. ‘Esther CDM’ (raised 1981 William McGarvey) is strong, has made a neat clump with no sign of ‘donutting’ so far and I like the way the large, flaring blooms are produced at slightly different heights, increasing the impact of the clump in the garden.

It is a much more valuable garden plant, and makes much more effort than an iris I raised from seed and has flowered ‘properly’ for the first time this year – in previous years it flowered on short scapes hidden among the foliage. This was grown from seed labelled Iris prismatica, an American species that grows in moist, often brackish conditions. It should have blue flowers. I have no idea what my plant is. The flowers are small compared to the size of the plant, and the tallest scapes are 1.2m, just topping the foliage. The flowers are delicate and pretty but some scapes are hidden among the leaves and all are out of proportion to the size of the plant and it might be thought of as having little garden value.

But it has a certain charm, like an unwanted puppy, and it has one major redeeming feature. The foliage is very narrow and it holds itself up. The recent weather has been dry and sunny but also windy and many plants have blown over. But the leaves of this iris are beautifully upright and narrow. I have never fully embraced grasses in the border as enthusiastically as I should, with a few exceptions, but I do like the vertical accents that many provide. This iris gives me the look, with finer foliage than many iris, and with the bonus of flowers that, while not huge, are not contributing to my hay fever! Not all plants have to wow me with their blooms if they are overall good plants and contribute something else of value.

But flowers is what dianthus ‘Memories’ is all about. I first saw this at a plant fair many years ago when it was new and was immediately impressed at the steely foliage and gorgeous, clove scent. My present plant is now in its second year and will need to be replaced by cuttings because it is getting woody. My initial (slightly too effusive) enthusiasm for the plant was not totally misplaced but it is not perfect – well, for me. It is not terribly attractive in a wet winter and the flower stems are a little short for cutting, compared with ‘Doris’ as a standard cutting pink.

But most people want short plants and the habit is neat. I find it has a big flush of wonderful flowers and only repeats slightly so although there are flowers later in summer, they don’t make a big show. But then my plant is in a raised bed which can be dry in late summer and that could restrict new growth and flowering. When introduced, sale of the plant contributed to Alzheimer’s Disease research, hence the name. And it does smell just like the pinks of your childhood.

dianthus memories, iris esther CDM, Iris prismatica, lupin cathys ghost, white flowers