Tags
Aster laterflorus Lady in Black, clematis Arabella, crimson glory vine, gardens open for charity, Leucanthemum x superbum, National Garden Scheme, NGS, Nigella seed head, Shasta Daisy, six on saturday, The frustrated Gardener, the watch house, Vitis coignetiae
Good morning. I hope this finds you well. It has been a week of mixed weather here with lots of rain. Great for plants but soggy, sticky work for us gardeners. I have yet to find waterproofs that are suited to garden work ie tough enough and that allow the wearer to breathe rather than feel she or he is in a plastic bag. Send me your tips if you have any solutions.
On to the six to share with The Propagator and you of course.
Hold up, I hear you cry, that’s not your garden Dorris. Correct. It’s not. It belongs to The frustrated Gardener I made my first garden visit of 2020. The National Garden Scheme has opened some of its gardens for by appointment visits. This is a charity which supports nurses and healthcare workers to the tune of over £3million last year. It is a charity to support at the best of times and more so during a pandemic.
The Watch House in Broadstairs Kent is actually two separate gardens: the jungle garden and the gin and tonic garden. Before visiting I have to confess that lockdown had sapped my garden joie de vivre. An hour or so immersed in these gardens chatting to Dan and the Beau with my sister was just the tonic. I left fully enthused, with ideas running around in my head, trying to remember the detail and the names of some of these incredible plants. If you are able I would encourage you to make a visit and support a very worthy charity.
Back to the weather, the warm temperatures and rain has possibly unleashed a beast. This is Vitis coignetiae and it appears to be making a bid for garden domination. Serious haircut needed and I am not just referring to me.
In the last seven days these have opened. I do love a daisy.
Leucanthemum x superbum. These are such easy flowers. They can require staking if grown in part shade as they will lean forward towards the light. These ones are in gravel on an old overrflow parking spot. They get chopped to the ground in autumn and that is it. Treat them mean, they seem to thrive.
The Nigella have gone over but what they leave behind is strikingly beautiful, pods for a vase or to dry.
This is a new addition to the garden. It is a non clinging type, herbaceous. It has just started flowering and is scrambling amongst Aster laterflorus Lady in Black.
Verbena bonariensis grows like a weed in my garden but I don’t care, it’s such a pretty colour and the butterflies adore it. Here it is with the gorgeous David Austin Roses Brother Cadfael. A pretty shade of pink with a gentle rose scent.
Roses are in full swing in July and this beauty is full of blooms.
There are three plants here which make a real show. Close up it is a healthy plant, no black spot and such pretty flowers.
I hope you have a good weekend, wherever you are and thanks for reading. If you can arrange to visit an open garden to support the NGS please do. D.
digwithdorris.com 
What a treat to go to the Watch House, you are adventurous. This rain has been a boon, it’s saved hours of watering. I love Lark Ascending and Brother Cadfael.
The rain makes everything grow in a way that tap water never does. Or is that my imagination?
It was an absolute treat to visit a garden. Thanks Chloris
I really like that nigella close-up!
Thanks Lisa
I love the Nigella, too. And the roses and the Verbena. I must get some of that Verbena. Glad you replenished your joie de vivre. What is in a gin and tonic garden, juniper and quinine?
So many lovely plants, I have lists of those! The gin and tonic garden is so named as it catches the sun at exactly the right time for a g&t.
Wow, Lark Ascending is gorgeous!
Thank you. You are not wrong.
Crimson Glory vine is grown for the foliage rather than the fruit? I saw something known as a fruitless grape that might have been the same thing. It seemed odd to me that someone would put all that work into a grapevine that makes no fruit.
No fruit but dinner plate sized foliage that turns a wonderful crimson colour in the Autumn
I was going to book for another garden this w/e but am now too immersed in my current project to leave it for something else! Is your sister in Kent? I guess you are not going ahead with opening yourself? Your roses are lovely – is this their main or a second flush? Most of mine are still recovering from their May/June bonanza…
It’s so good to have a project though. I have agreed to open by appointment but am not really anticipating any visits. Shame as the roses are looking glorious. Yes my sister is in Ramsgate she moved last year.
Indeed – I love my projects! I had decided that if anyone rang I would agree to a visit subject to them accepting the garden as it was, but I see that some gardens are now listed online as being open by appointment. Might just stick with it informally though with all these changes afoot
I have been contacted by someone trying to make an appointment to visit the watch house and they used the link on my post. They couldn’t find it. So I tried. If I search the garden it no longer comes up as you can only book 10 days prior to date. So I don’t think you can even search a garden anymore. Either that or I’ve done something wrong.
I’m doing the informal option
I think they update the website on a Monday but last time I looked they had a separate bit about gardens open by appointment which you would expect not to change if it was a blanket period. I am unsure about insurance if we open informally though – what do you think?
I thought they had cancelled their public liability insurance for 2020. Not sure if they are only covering those by appt. best check Cathy
Will do, although they must have reinstated it for gardens listed as opening on specific dates
And you can enjoy your roses yourself, with Master and Ms Dorris, and any visiting family or friends
I can and do indeed
glad you found your mojo. although, what was he doing with it in his garden? rude!
Ha
Very good point
Shasta daisiy is a fantastic addition to any garden,and you’re right about easy care & treating them mean.
About you’re sticky waterproofs… A bit like the PPE that front line workers have to wear. Do it for them! (More tough love, a chara)
Well done you for supporting a garden charity thst supports health care workers.
Ha
Ok I will stop whinging about the waterproofs now you’ve put it in perspective!