Friday frou-frou: 4 May 2018

Tags

Colour, May, ornamental cherry blossom, pink, Sakura, Spring, Thank goodness it's Friday

Pink blossom, hopelessly romantic?

Or sickly sweet like candy floss?

Whatever you think, and I find them far too frou-frou, I reckon we all cannot fail but to be impressed by this sight against a blue sky.

Finally a fine weekend is forecast, which will make a pleasant change, especially for a bank holiday weekend. Be sure to spend as much time as possible outside, that’s certainly my plan. D.

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Wordless wonder (as missed Wednesday)

Tags

as far as the eye can see, Ashridge Estate, Bluebells, British wild flowers, Colour, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, woodland beauty, wordless wednesday

Wordless Wednesday: crocus

Tags

crocus, Dutch crocus, wordless wednesday, yellow

Tuesday 7/2/17: yellow

Tags

Colour, Eranthis hyemalis, winter aconite, yellow

Yellow. Generally yellow is not a colour I favour. Today however I saw a yellow carpet which I was rather taken with. 

How lovely. On closer inspection those little buttercup type flowers were really soaked after the heavy rain yesterday.

And then the sun appeared. 

Perhaps this note should just read ‘Stop the press: Spring is on its way.’

Garden visit: Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Tags

Acer grisium, Bergenia Bressingham Ruby, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Cornus alba sibirica, Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire', garden visit, Helleborus foetidus, Rubus cockburnianus, stinking hellebore, weather report, white stemmed bramble, Winter garden

In the depths of Winter it can be hard to stay enthused about the garden yet if you know where to look there are some stunning examples of a Winter garden. One such place in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden and yesterday was the day I went to see for myself. I was not disappointed.

Winter Garden

First the factual bits for those who like to know these things: the garden opened in 1846 and has been a focus and stimulus for science and research in the University. The gardens comprise forty acres of gardens and glasshouses which hold Grade II* heritage landscape. It was the vision of John Stevens Henslow who was a professor of botany at the University and mentor to Charles Darwin no less. Henslow’s new, perhaps ground breaking idea, was that the Botanic Garden should be for the experimental study of the plants rather than just a physic garden for the medical students. Today the garden holds over 8,000 plant species.

I did not see any where near 8,000 plants but those that I did see were very beautiful, just look at the Acer Grisium in the picture above, surrounded by the stunning bank of Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’

Acer grisium

The Dogwoods were in good colour and I liked the use of the smaller leaf Bergenia Bressingham Ruby as ground cover, such a good form.

Cornus alba sibirica with Hellebore

Bergenia Bressingham Ruby

If you really only like white in the garden and find all the colour rather vulgar, the next combination is rather spectacular:White stemmed bramble underplanted with snowdrops

Rubus Goldenvale

A vicious plant with long whippy thorny growth which needs an annual prune to encourage the new white stems for next year, gauntlets and chaps recommended.

After looking at the Winter garden on such a cold day it was necessary to warm up in the cafe. The food is very good and reasonably priced with a great selection of vegetarian dishes.

Stylish cafe area, note the trained Lime trees

Trailing hellebore, corten steel

A couple of things that I brought away from the visit is the idea of using Hellebore foetidus as a trailing plant and the cacti and succulents in the glass houses.  I will share those another time.

Anyway, if the weather is getting you down, don’t let it.  Grab your coat and hat and get out there to see some something beautiful,

Maximum? no reading.

whatever the weather.

Enjoy your weekend.

 

Still life Saturday

Tags

apothecary bottle, brown, Colour, letterpress, pods, seeds, still life Saturday

 

 

Pods, seeds and letterpress

The weather this last week has really taken any residual Summer colour or softness from the garden.  What is left is brown, rather like this arrangement.

I hope you find some colour in your day.

Friday colour

Tags

autumncolour, Colour, cotinus coggygria Royal Purple, smoke bush

This is the foliage of Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ or Smoke bush showing its Autumn colour. 

Who would not want to make room for this shrub. It likes a sunny position in moist but free draining soil and will reach up to about 5 m. The leaves are a rounded shape, deep rich purple in colour, reaching up to 10cm long. In Summer it has fluffy plumes that from a distance, resemble smoke, so pretty. 

Have a good weekend.

Blocked drain, acceptable?

Tags

autumn leaves, blocked drain, Colour, no wipes here, parthenosissus quinquefolia, pinks and reds, Virginia Creeper

Wordless Wednesday: pulling in the bees

Tags

Bees, blue, Salvia nemorosa, wordless Wednesdsy

Salvia nemorosa

Green

Tags

Carpinus betulus, Hornbeam, pleated leaves, Red veined sorrel, Spring garden

The light levels may be rising even if the temperatures are not, we had snow flurries here today.  The garden is beginning to pull away and I thought I would share a couple of pictures from this morning.

There is a delightful freshness to the various shades of green.

Tiny pleated leaves courtesey of the year old Hornbeam  ‘hedge.’

Red veined Sorrel

The light captured the red vein marking of the SorreI leaves.

I hope you had a good day.