Back at Inner Temple, but this time just to enjoy the flowers!

When I was at the Bar I used to enjoy the odd lunch in Inner Temple gardens when work and weather allowed. Inner Temple (and Middle Temple) are sandwiched between Fleet Street and the Thames, a network of alleyways and squares with grand buildings providing home to numerous sets of barristers. Perhaps Inner Temple is best known today (at least as far as tourists are concerned) for its church which gives a star turn in The Da Vinci Code! 

Big alliums make a big impact

Inner Temple gardens are beautiful, a real little sanctuary in the city with lawns stretching to the embankment, stunning unusual trees and fabulous herbaceous borders. Today I went in for the first time since I left Chambers having met a former colleague for lunch nearby. 

The borders are looking as good as I remembered them to be. What really stood out were the giant alliums which stand tall and huge out in the large borders - I think they are Allium 'Globemaster' which have enormous flowerheads as these do. What is so great is that when these are over the seedheads will continue to provide a feature then, when finally cut back, they'll pop up from their bulbs again next year.


Below is the border in all its glory with a really effective contrast of the purple alliums against the bright yellow of day lilies (Hemerocallis) and the Aquilegia (possibly A. chrysanthanta Yellow Queen) in the foreground with their stunning flowers. What is great about Aquilegia flowers are the long spurs that flare out behind the flowers - on this large type they really are clear to see. And there are those red poppies marking little red spots along the border's front edge against the gentle blue forget-me-nots. Bright, informal and lovely.

And just to finish off a shot of one of the beds lining the stone steps down to the lawn, a silver and white theme dominated here - and you can just see a couple of the magnificent trees in the background.

Glad to have been back, but loved the fact I could leave without the any thought of the law!