Roses and more roses

Lots are out at the moment. The rain has meant that they are growing strongly and the new ones are establishing well. The downside is that some of the more flouncy flowers are prone to rot. This one doesn't care and is a bit of a thug but it's beautiful now and in the autumn with small hips and is a magnet for the hibernating ladybird population.

Helichrysum fridgidum

One of my favourite foliage plants for the alpine house, Helichrysum fridgidum from Corsica. It tends to get a bit brown at the base and needs to be cut back to keep it neat and silver. It sometimes gets attacked by greenfly that kill it by covering it with honey dew that goes moldy, but it's easy to keep going from cuttings. It also roots branches if they lean out into the plunge sand.