Last summer we visited The Better Food Company's Walled Garden in Wrington, where we had a delicious lunch before taking a stroll around the walled garden itself. While there, I noticed a new-to-me plant growing in one of the borders by the top wall near the old orangery, where the cafe is situated. It was buzzing with bees and, indeed, appeared to have a beeswax-honey scent to it.
These are the photos I took at the time, and I've since been pursuing the identity of this plant. I understand it to be a Phlomis, or Jerusalem Sage. Ben and I saw it blooming rampantly on a roundabout in Florence.
Harout and I went for a lunch a deux on Saturday, for we were temporarily childless, with Ben at Scout Camp and Anna at work. This time, there were phlomis flowers in some of the vases adorning the tables, so whilst awaiting the arrival of our yummy and healthy food, I took the opportunity to take a few close up photographs, shown in the collage below.
I hope that I will soon have a phlomis plant of my own in our garden, as I've been offered an offshoot by a friend of mine. I think the structure of the flowerheads is intriguing and would love to have the chance to observe and draw them at greater leisure.
