I was away last week, enjoying the tiny alpine wild-flowers in Scotland’s far northwest. Not a warm mid-summer, but a light one, with sunset at 10.36pm on the solstice. It appears to have been a warm week back in the balmy southeast of Scotland, though we dragged cool and pouring rain back home with us, all the way down the A9 trunk road. After the sparsity of the north, there’s nothing for it than to celebrate summer with some big blousy colour. This week, I will focus on blues, reds and pinks. First up is centranthus ruber, red valerian, growing nicely in a very dry warm bed, against a big stone wall.

Having started with a couple of large poppies a few year’s ago, I have propagated via splitting clumps, and now have them scattered through several borders. They don’t last long, but these flowers are gorgeously worth it.

My garden has a quite a few borders, I have found that hardy geranium provide wonderful ground cover, the mid summer flush of flowers is superb, and is much loved by bees.

I love lilies: this year I’ve managed to plant lots of pots, and have been donated a couple more by a friend. I love the colour she chose.

Not everyone likes astrantia, they do have an ‘already dried’ look, though are good for moist and shady corners. This variety seem to have made it out in the full sunshine, another fabulous shade of dark pink/red to brighten up a dull weekend.

Last, and very much not this week, my peonies flowered during the week I’ve been away. Perhaps the cool weather will make them last. This is bowl of beauty, she has to be my favourite.

That’s it for this week, I hope you enjoyed a few blooms from my lush colourful garden. If you like Six on Saturday, do join in, there are lots of contributors on Twitter, and more via the regular blog from #SixonSaturday initiator, the great Propagator himself.