Six on Saturday: 2/3/19

Tags

Anemanthele lessoniana, chaenomeles x superba Jet Trail, clematis armandii, Dwarf narcissi Tete-a-Tete, green hellebore, Hellebores, Japanese quince, Magnolia soulangeana, March, nest making, Pheasant's tail grass, six on saturday, Stipa arundinacea

It seems that February is finished for 2019 and what a February.  Record breaking temperatures here in England gave us all something to smile about, something to distract us from the politicial shenanigans. The weather gave me and you I trust, the opportunity to cut back all the perennials, prune the roses and lightly weed over the borders, frankly incredible, compared to this time last year, when we were under the white stuff thanks to the beast.  This Saturday I have another six to share with you and the Propagator.

1. This is Clematis armandii.  An evergreen climber which flowers in early spring.  Scented, with petals which appear rather waxy.  It is a favourite clematis of mine and is smothered in buds which is very pleasing.
2. Japanese quince Chaenomeles X superba Jet trail.  This is a dwarf shrub growing to no more than 1 meter tall.  It is located against the same stretch of fence as the Clematis above and I chose it for its white flowers.
3. Hellebore.  This one is a double which comes through as a slightly green/white tinged pink.  Very pretty it seems to like the raised bed next to the tiny Tete a tete daffodils.  Raised beds work well for Hellebores as we can see their faces without having to lie on the ground. Thats my top tip for today.
4. The birds certainly seem to think that spring is here and I spotted this nest up amongst the fat buds of my friends splendid Magnolia tree.

5. This is my green Hellebore. It came from a divided piece from my last garden. I am unsure if it’s name but I enjoy its contrast to the pink and white Hellebores. A fresh green, don’t you think.

6. This is a small Pheasant tail grass, Anemanthele lessonia, previously known as Stipa arundinacea. It is relatively short lived but self seeds freely around. If you fail to strip the seed heads it can be a nuisance in paths. Anyway I like its colouring and its nomadic spirit.

So that’s my six for today. Enjoy your weekend wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: 23/2/19

Tags

crocus, Euphorbia, Euphorbia amygdaloides pupurea, Euphorbia amygdaloides var.robbiae, euphorbia rigida, February, Primula silver Lace, Rosemary, six on saturday

February, the new May? Possibly.

Today has reached a yummy 17 degrees, a truly beautiful day.  I think that it is fair to say that most of us feel that Spring is on its way, certainly the garden and the birds think so.   Hold up, not so fast, last year we had snowfall on 1 March.  Hopefully there will not be a repeat this year but you never know, Winter is not over yet.

Looking around I have these six to share with you and Six on Saturday

1. Crocus growing in the lawn are beginning to increase in number.  My favourites are probably the white ones for the purple markings on the petals.  Sweet.
2. RosemaryI love Rosemary for its evergreen form, evocative aroma and pale blue flowers, early in Spring.  Very early this year.
3. Primrose

Primula silver lace is eye-catching and although I prefer the common primrose for its gentle shade of yellow there is something about the black petals that appeal to me.

4. Euphorbia

This is Euphorbia rigida which I love for its blue toned foliage, pointy shaped with yellow flowers in Spring. It is more upright growing than E. Myrsinties.

5. Euphorbia (this is not a repeat)

This is the purple woodland spurge with the not catchy name of Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’ I like this plant for its dark foliage and red tones.

6. Euphorbia, I repeat, this is not a repeat.

 

Finally another woodland spurge this is Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae

This is as tough as old boots and will tolerate most soil and positions. Loving all the Euphorbias today it seems.

Take a look at the Propagator blog for a super selection of sixes.  Have a good weekend out there. D.

Six on Saturday: 16/2/19

Tags

Anthriscus sylvestris, barnhaven.com, cow parsley, Hellebores, Iris reticulata, primroses, Primula vulgaris, six on saturday, Viburnum bodnantense dawn

The weather this week has been incredibly mild for February. Garden jobs are so much easier when I can feel my fingers and toes. The sunlight has encouraged buds to emerge or even open and spring bulbs are pushing through thick and fast. My Six on Saturday are those signs from my garden.

1.

Iris reticulata

The blue of these tiny iris are thrilling at this time of the year. I am chuffed to bits that they have come up as I have never managed to get them to flower before.

2.

Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’

This shrub is at its best in winter, Bare twigs covered in bright pink, highly scented flowers. Tough as old boots but pretty.

3.

Signs of life emerging, here in the form of black leaf buds on Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla Black Lace. An attractive shrub with deeply divided leaves of a rich near black. I have just pruned this back to encourage better ie larger foliage.

4.

Primroses, Primula vulgaris. My favourite. I would choose these every time over the brightly coloured varieties.

5.

Less about the fern more about the emerging foliage of the Cow parsley. Anthriscus sylvestris. Such a fresh green and delicate foliage.

6. Last and by no means least, Hellebores. These are unnamed varieties from Barnhaven primroses. They were purchased online as tiny finger sized plug plants from self pollinated stock. A cheaper way to purchase Hellebores with a sense of lucky dip. Patience is required as it has taken three years for them to flower.

Worth the wait.

Have a great weekend and do share your six via our host Six on Saturday . D.

Six on Saturday: Oxford Botanic Garden

Tags

Agave, container planting, garden visit, Oxford Botanic Garden, Pavonia, Saturday smile, six on saturday

Hello, my Six on Saturday this week are from a garden visit to the Oxford Botanic Garden on January 20th. The gardens are the oldest in the UK ( founded in 1621) with nearly 6,000 types of plants.

What strikes you about this first picture? The enviable dark brown soil or the vivid green grass? Or what about the bright blue sky, it was January after all. Then there is the obelisk, look at its height. All quite remarkable but what really struck me was the incredibly straight edges to the borders, so very crisp and smart.

2. The straight edges are a strong feature of this part of the gardens, dictated perhaps by the garden wall. It may appear as if there is little to see in January and clearly it does looks rather bare, where are those 6,000 plants I hear you thinking, yet I really enjoyed seeing the crisp form of the space.

3. On closer inspection there are things happening in the borders. Witch Hazels, Willow, salix and Rainbow Chard. There are also these willow structures shaped as apples here.

There were masses of snowdrops but I am no Galanthophile hence my next pictures are of the container planting.

4.

The combination of ferns and primula with Skimmia is lovely for Winter container planting. I especially liked the addition of birch which adds height, colour and catkins.

5. In the glasshouses the relief from the cold was very welcome and necessary for this exquisite beauty

Pavonia. Simply stunning.

6. I love cacti’s and succulents and always enjoy seeing the Agave.

This one is a beautiful specimen.

That’s it, my Six on Saturday about my garden visit to the immaculate Oxford Botanic Garden.

The propagator blog is our host for Six on Saturday. If you would like to join in please be sure to include a link to his blog. If you find yourself near Oxford I recommend a visit to the botanical gardens, an historical and beautiful space to walk around.

Have a good weekend. D.

Six on Saturday: 12/1/19

Tags

2019, January, six on saturday, the Chilterns

2019.  Hello. How are you keeping?

I feel as if it is a long long time since I scribbled here on Digwithdorris.  I imagine you are perhaps in the midst of an alcohol and fat free period or that you are maybe toiling hard, starting with all those good intentions.

January can be such a beautiful time of year.

January is the one month in the year when you might imagine that there is little to be done in the garden but let me tell you that is a big untruth, January is a great time to get jobs done outside.  I have even cut my grass.

For my first post of 2019, I am joining cavershamjj  with my Six on Saturday.  These are pictures I have taken on one of my daily walks.

Wishing you all a super weekend and hoping you get chance to get out and enjoy your surroundings.  D.

Six on Saturday: Day tripper

Tags

avenues of trees, Clerodendron trichotomum, Edwin Lutyens, Exotic gardens, Garden Visits, Ginger lily, Great Dixter, October, six on saturday, the Netherlands, the private garden of Piet Oudolf, The Salutation Garden Sandwich Kent

I have been lucky enough to take time out to visit some wonderful gardens in the last few weeks.  I rather like gardens in early Autumn as the light levels are lower and plants look wonderfully beautiful.  My six on Saturday are therefore my favourite sightings from those visits.

1. the Salutation garden in Sandwich Kent.  A wonderful garden set out by the one and only Edwin Lutyens which suffered years of neglect but thankfully is now {since 2006} under the superb control of Head Gardener, Steve Edney.  The place is a feast for the eyes with collections of exotics in a quintessential English garden.

2. In contrast to the exotics is a more traditional English look thanks to avenues of trees and Box columns in The Salutation Garden.

 

3. Great Dixter in Northiam East Sussex. A sublime house (Grade 1 listed)  and garden built by Edwin Lutyens.  Formerly home to Christopher Lloyd it is now held in Trust under the incredible stewardship of Head Gardener Fergus Garrett.  Famous for so many reasons, I absolutely love this garden.  This year I loved the juxtaposition of succulents and cacti planted amidst the Erigeron on the historic stone steps.

The Exotic garden was jungle like this year.

4. Just a couple of examples of the striking use of colour at Great Dixter.

 

5. Piet Oudolf at Hummelo The Netherlands.  The private garden of Piet and Anja Oudolf is open for the final year until 27 October 2018.  Not wanting to miss the opportunity to see this for myself I made the trip to Holland this month.  It did not disappoint.  The flat, open, rural setting of the garden has been secured and enclosed by tall walls of hedging.  Within the space, vast plantings of those perennials which Oudolf has almost single handedly made familiar to us all.  Stunningly beautiful.

 

 

6. Some wonderful trees in the garden at Hummelo provided scent thanks to the exquisite tree Claredondron trichotomum a tree that I had not seen or even heard of before.  That is why it is so good to visit other gardens, to learn and be inspired and of course to have a jolly good day out!

So for today I have shared three wonderful gardens with you and offered more than six images but hey I am feeling full of ideas and want to show you just a snippet of what I saw.  I am joining the Propogator with this entitled Six on Saturday. Enjoy.

 

Saturday smile: mingling

Tags

cytisus battandieri, David Austin Roses, Rose "Lark Ascending", Sambucus Nigra, Saturday smile, Sweet cicely, Thalictrum Elin

All together, mingling.

Thalictrum, pineapple broom, black leaf elder, Roses, sweet cicely.

Saturday smile: 19/5/18

Tags

golden rain tree, here comes the summer, Japanese maples, laburnum, May, pot grown Acers, Saturday smile, small trees, yellow

There may be a wedding going on, there may be a special footy match on but my smile is from pictures I took yesterday.

Pot grown Acers.

Golden rain tree, Laburnum

I hope your day is full of smiles. D.

Saturday smile: chaenomeles X superba

Tags

April, chaenomeles x superba Jet Trail, clematis armandii, Japanese quince, Saturday smile, spring in my garden

Planted only last year this little quince is covered in white flowers.

Aptly named Jet Trail this Japanese quince has a trailing habit and is suitable as ground cover.

I have used it to plant under Clematis armandii a white with white spring display.

An evergreen clematis with oodles of flowers in spring. I do like green with white.

Right I am going to try to give the lawn its first cut. Enjoy your weekend. D.

Saturday smile: blushing.

Tags

blushing, camellia, Easter, March, pink buds, Saturday smile, white flowers

You may possibly remember me showing you a fat pink bud from my camellia? in a vase? No? oh do please pay attention.

I should love to be able to tell you that the bud has opened to reveal its white centre. Alas not. After two weeks the bud had fattened up, then almost over night it just gave up and browned on the edges. Disappointing.

Outside however, despite the onslaught of the Beast from the east and incessant rain, this has revealed itself:

Somehow the pink buds have begun to open revealing this, a white flower, blushing.

Happy Easter to you, wherever you may be. D.