Aloe, aloe!

Today's Blip is of one of only a few succulents that we grow at Arduaine. Aloe striatula is a woody succulent from the mountains of southern Africa, supposedly hardy down to -14°C in the UK, given a free-draining soil.

We grow ours on a south-facing bank and it seems to cope well enough. They're quite drought tolerant, though not often tested this way here!

The shrub to the right is Hydrangea 'Lanarth White' as is my extra picture today. A lacecap with tiny blue flowers in the centre, it sometimes produces flattened mophead flowers too.