Summer flowers.
It is high season for flowers at the moment, despite the extraordinary weather pattern, from heat to cold, from dry to rain, and of course the wind.
They still present us with the yearly show. Most of our flowers are perennials (return every year). They can also be divided in the Spring to make more plants.
Plants like the poppies above and also feverfew, marigolds, californian poppies and nasturtiums are annuals (1 year only plant). However they self-seed readily and in the 2nd year you will probably have to weed out the surplus.
Many shrubs have a long flowering period and are easily propogated from semi-ripe cuttings taken about now. Fuschias, phygelius (shown above), hebes and penstemons are worth all easy rooters to try.
Sunflowers are easily grown from home saved seed, if you can get them before the birds do!
Penstemons come in every colour, the reds are my faves.