Tags
Catalpa bignoides pulverulenta, Cercis canadensis, Eupatorium Black stockings, Forest pansy, hornbeam hedge, indian bean tree, Philadelphus coronarius aurea, rose a shropshire lad, Sambucus Nigra Black Lace, six on saturday, Verbena bonariensis, Viburnum bodnantense dawn, weeping willow
Saturday greetings from me to you. The weather these last few days frankly has been as extraordinary as these pandemic times we are living in. The deluge this morning has left a steaming mist this afternoon and those temperatures earlier in the week seem almost imaginary. My six, as a consequence of today’s weather. are images of the garden taken on Thursday.
Across the garden, verbena bonariensis has taken over as shown above. I love it. I love it’s tall wafting nature, its colour and I don’t mind it at the front of a border even if it has chosen the spot.
The funny thing with this image is that I look it and see the Hornbeam hedge needs cutting back into shape. It’s like a visual to do list for me.
This image of the path back up the garden shows what I mean about the verbena and today you need the secateurs to cut your way through. The claret foliage at the top of the path is from my beloved Cercis canadensis. This image shows me not only how big it is getting but how much I will need to prune back. There’s barely room to sit at the table.
Looking across the border to the path and table I like how much the Cercis shields the sitter from the rest of the garden but within reason of course. I am pleased with the colour mix of the pink rose a Shropshire Lad next to the variegated foliage of Catalpa pulverulentum and yes the Hornbeam definitely needs cutting back. I also need to take a bit off the viburnum bodnantense to the right of the hedge. It too is getting a bit too big.
Looking from the other side across the border to the dark green shrub on the right is the viburnum bodnantense and it really is too tall. Frankly Philadelphus coronarius aurea, Golden mock orange, is also getting too big and needs shaping up a bit. Topiary also needs clipping back to form. Gosh I have a lot to do.
A pleasing combination of the berries and foliage of Sambucus nigra Black Lace with Eupatorium Black stockings. The unopened buds of the flowers look so lovely next to the half eaten berries. The Sambucus will be cut down by about one third in spring to encourage better denser foliage.
Looking through and across the lawn is the borrowed view of the majestic weeping willow belonging to my neighbour. Properly impressive. Nothing for me to do there but to admire.
These are my six. A visual to do list rather than ‘jobs for the weekend ‘. Sharing my six with you and our host The Propagator
Have a great weekend wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.
digwithdorris.com 
A beautiful gadren!
Thanks Sandra
Dorris, it looks wonderful – I love that Joe Pye, haven’t seen the cultivar. I am reminded I need some v. bonariensis in my garden. I have a lot of pruning to do here.
Joe pye weed is great but not as tall this year perhaps due the weather ( too dry?)VB is a cheerful addition to any garden , get some seed. Pruning season it seems. Spend half our time getting things to grow and then we spend the rest cutting back. Silly really
LOL, I agree. I asked my husband the other day how long he thought it would take for this to revert back to jungle. Two years. Madly ordering seed here, VB on the list.
The thing I have found with VB is to not cut it back until spring and then if we get a hard winter the top growth takes the hit.
Well, I just bought some seed, will start it when it arrives and see what happens – I am far enough south there is no frost…
Even better
Lovely garden – enjoy the weekend jobs 😊🌷🌻💐
Thanks 👍
Does ‘Black Lace’ elderberry produce enough berries to make jelly with? ‘Black Beauty’ is marketed as a cultivar that produces an abundance of fruit. I do not know much about either cultivar, but now work with a ‘Black Lace’ in one of the new landscapes at work. It is just grown for the foliage and bloom, so berries would just be an added bonus. We get plenty of blue elderberries from the forest.
Gosh, the steaming mist sounds an experience! Just a few drops for us yesterday, but it is properly wet this morning – hurrah! The verbena growing wherever it wants in a border is one of the ideas I took from visiting your garden, Dorris. That eupatorium looks pretty, but it sounds as if you have a lot of shrub pruning to do! ps noticed a few flowers on my viburnum yesterday!
It was and not a really pleasant one tbh. I noticed Dawn has a few flowers. Mad! I am thrilled you would have any ideas from my garden. Thanks Cathy.
You have a lovely and full garden. I too like the verbena!
Oh that’s kind. Thank you. I think us gardeners tend not to see the successes just the jobs waiting
that’s an impressive weeping willow
It’s about 20 years old and it is so beautiful, I love it
How lovely to have a little tour of your garden Dorris. It all looks wonderful.
Thanks Chloris that’s kind
all looking very lush. sadly i think my cercis is dying. best case, it is wind scorched on one side and will be back for more next year. but i fear it may be a goner, shame as it is only in its second year.
Oh flip that’s such a shame if that is the case.
They are brittle and a bit delicate
The heat earlier this month did a lot of foliage burn here . 🤞it will revive.
That is a majestic borrowed view. Love your clarets too!
Thank you, it is a fabulous tree. Very lucky.