Six on Saturday: market sights, Delft

Tags

canals, Delft, flower market, hollyhocks, six on saturday, the Netherlands

Greetings from the Netherlands. This morning we took a stroll around the town and these are my favourite six to share with you and The Propagator

1. The canals are looking pretty with water lilies 

There are hollyhocks growing on the path sides .

2. Famous for the blue and white porcelain or Delftware.

3. It was market day and the flowers sellers had armfuls of peonies for €6

4. There were delightful mixed bunches ready to take away. Pastel shades

5 fabulous mop head hydrangeas

Only €3 for 3 stems

6. My favourites were the flowers in strong jewel colours.

Colours as vibrant as this selection of candles

I hope you have had a wonderful Saturday wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: Winslow

Tags

Astrantia major shaggy, buxus, ferns, gardens open for charity, Hydrangea petiolaris, six on saturday, Winslow in Bloom

This morning I helped my friend prepare her garden for Winslow open gardens. There was not anything major needed, rather pulling forget me nots and weeds and nipping back any over leggy growth on the shrubs. While I tackled these jobs my friend trimmed up all the box.

The weather was foul, windy, rainy and chilly. Everything was sopping wet from yesterday’s rain so anything we touched, showered us with more water. My Soggy Six today, joining The Propagator are from her lovely garden.

1.

Hydrangea petiolaris in full lace. This grows on a deeply shaded wall of a neighbouring building and is at least 9ft up the wall. Birds are nesting so it will be tackled later in the summer when the birds have moved out and the flowers finished.

2. Ferns

My friend loves a fern and they do well in her walled garden with its deep loamy soil. This pair are in pots and we do not know the name but how delicate and ethereal next to the pot of Hydrangea .

3. Ferns ( again)

This is Dryopteris wallichiana a showstopper in colour and size. Growing amongst alchemilla Mollis and pulmonaria.

4.

Astrantia are delightful at the moment, unstressed, not too dry, looking perky.

We believe this to be Astrantia shaggy looking perfect against Hardwick white painted timber.

5. Clipped box

This group is looking very happy after its trim.

Peonies helpfully waiting to open, ideally for the open day.

6. Mint and drift

In a raised bed sits a large hunk of driftwood. At this time of year it adds interest to the large clump of mint growing happily in the dappled light.

That’s it, my Six to share.

If you are a local reader, Winslow in Bloom is next Sunday 16 June at 11am-5pm. £5 entrance covers you for up to 11 gardens. Funds raised go to local charities. Have a good weekend wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: kaleidoscope

Tags

Allium christophii, Allium Purple Sensation, Allium shubertii, Astrantia 'Roma', calendula, cytisus battandieri, Eschscholzia, marigolds, papaver Perry’s White, Rose 'Gertrude Jekyll', Sambucus Nigra, six on saturday

Orange.

Hello June, goodbye May. The garden has exploded into a kaleidoscope of colour. Above is the first of my Six on Saturday. Eschscholzia. They are self sown from last year and have popped up in drifts. I couldn’t have created this show if I had tried.

Marigolds.

The Propagator asks us to share six sights from our garden on a Saturday, a fun thing to do. Try and join us. His blog has any instructions you might need. My Six today are colour themed.

2. Purple

Of course it had to be Allium Purple Sensation. Old hat maybe but still a great colour.

Aliium christophii

Allium shubertii

3. Pink

The first rose to open is the strongly scented Gertrude Jekyll. If she wasn’t so thorny she would be perfect.

Astrantia Roma

4. Yellow

The pineapple scented Cytisus battandieri. I do not favour yellow in my garden but I enjoy this for its scent and silver foliage rather than its colour.

5. Black

Less black more deep claret to be honest. One of my favourite shrubs, Sambucus niger.

Just look at those dark leaves.

6. White

Perennial poppies this one is perhaps Perrys white. Shining and clear. Here’s a thing, before the marigolds and Eschscholzia did their thing I was planning a white planting show. Hey ho, there’s always next year.

Wishing you all a great weekend. Enjoy this summer weather. D.

Six on Saturday: favourites

Tags

Allium Purple Sensation, cerinthe, Eschscholzia californium, euphorbia griffithii Dixter, hebe hulkanea, Iris Sibirica, New Zealand lilac, six on saturday

Good morning. I am joining The Propagator with a quick six, favourite sights in my garden.

First is a shrub I purchased from a garden in Winslow. A family were about to complete the sale of their late mothers house. A developer had purchased the property and the place was about to lose its garden to concrete and brick. The family invited Winslow & District gardening society their local garden group, to attend at a certain hour on a given day to dig up plants from the garden for a donation in aid of their chosen charity.

You can imagine the scene as gardeners in anoraks, armed with trowels and garden forks arrived. Hellebores, snowdrops, ferns were the main plants of interest. A polite-ish dig-up began.

Whilst the garden was under siege, I got talking to a lady who turned out to have been the owners longterm carer. She handed me a scraggy shrub in a pot. Take this for your garden, it is something special, I cannot remember what but I always had to pay particular attention to watering it. Inwardly thinking, yuck that looks dreadful, I politely accepted it and made a donation of £5.

I planted it in the ground in about February this year. Clearly delighted to have space to send its roots, it is now flowering happily.

It is New Zealand lilac, Hebe hulkeana or right now, Happy Hebe.

2 .

This is the outlook from my chair where I enjoy my morning coffee. Purple Cerinthe in the foreground with masses of Eschscholzia poppies behind. These are all self sown. Bargain.

3.

These may not have been fashionable at Chelsea this year but I don’t care, I still love Allium purple sensation.

4.

The border in morning light before the sun gets to it. The contrast of green with the dark burnt orange from Euphorbia griffithii Dixter.

5.

I have always admired Iris sibirica for its royal colour and neat form, somehow refined. I planted these last year and am delighted to see they made it.

6. Another view of a different part of the border.

Again before the sun reaches it, this is a pleasing gentle froth of green, pink and white. Persicaria bistorta, Anthriscus sylvestris Ravenswing and Thalictrum Elin.

Wishing you an enjoyable long weekend, wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: some faves

Tags

Aesculus hippocastanum, Anthriscus sylvestris, California poppy, cow parsley, Eschscholzia californica, harts tongue fern, horse chestnut trees, house leeks, papaver patty’s plum, sempervivums, six on saturday

May is possibly the most exciting time in the garden. So much is happening. You can almost hear the growing. The ferns are unfurling and that is where I shall start.

1.

Harts tongue Asplenium scolopendrium

This is a plant which came to me from Rambling Cathy a couple of years ago and how established it looks now. The freshness of the green is strong and those tongues look at their most interesting as they uncurl.

2.

Horse chestnut trees Aesculus hippocastanum

There were 5 of these in 2015 and I took the decision to have two of them removed to enable these room to grow. They are looking at their most majestic now. Growing below them, in the dry shade is my number 3

I know it is a weed, I know it may make a bid for total control but I love it. I shall cut it back hard and remove some of it next week.

Cow Parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris

4. From green and white to hot orange, these are self sown orange Californian poppies.

Eschscholzia Californica

Today is overcast and they haven’t fully opened but their vibrancy is working hard to brighten the sky.

5. More poppies

Another poppy trying to brighten the skies.

The centre seems so bright and yet the outer petals live up to its name Papaver Patty’s Plum. I love the fat hairy buds on perennial poppies.

6. House leeks

Newly potted sempervivums. I love these plants, so many variations, all beautiful.

My six favourites today to share with you and our host The Propagator .

Do share your six with us or if you haven’t got time at least take a few minutes to scroll through some other bloggers joining this popular meme.

Enjoy the weekend. D.

Six on Saturday: Heather

Tags

Borago officinalis, Cercis canadensis, Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea', euphorbia griffithii Dixter, forget me nots, geranium macorrhizum, May, Myosotis arvensis, Sambucus Nigra Black Lace, six on saturday, Trifolium repens atropurpureum

Is it me or is this year galloping by? My garden is surging ahead, almost without me. I am inundated with weed seedlings but the dry clay is making it almost impossible to remove them properly. Weeding is a frustrating and almost futile exercise. How we need some rain but at night only please!

My Six to share with you and The Propagator this Saturday are these:

Euphorbias are at their most splendid at this time of year. Fresh and bright, eye catching

Cercis candanensis

I have had this Forest Pansy tree for at least eight years, initially it was in a pot, now its home is in a raised bed and this is the first time it has flowered. Very exciting to see. It is, honestly!

Borago officinalis

Once you have got borage in your garden you will always have it. These are self sown. Glorious colour and nectar for the bees. The flowers are a lovely addition to a gin and tonic, frozen in an ice cube. Talking of G&T….

This is Geranium macorrhizum

It forms large clumps of fresh foliage which when brushed against or crushed smells distinctly like gin and tonic.

Trifolium repens atropurpureum

A great ground covering plant. With purple toned clover like leaves it is attractive and interesting.

Myosotis arvensis

Some class these little beauties as weeds. Not me, I adore their particular shade of blue. So cheery. I think they look rather classy under the foliage of Sambucus nigra Black Lace.

Forget-me-not.

In memory of Heather, my kind and generous friend, Mother in law and Nanny. 20/6/40 – 4/5/12 . Remembered every day. How I would have loved to share this garden with her.

D.

Six on Saturday: pulling away

Tags

Brunnera macro Dawson’s white, carpinus betula, cerinthe major purpurascens, euphorbia griffithii Dixter, Hornbeam, philadelphus coronarius aureus, six on saturday, Tulip Ballerina, tulip Brown Sugar

After some time away I am looking at the garden afresh. So much has pulled away thanks to the light and warmer temperatures. My favourite six to share with you and The Propagator this week are these.

1.

Fresh foliage doesn’t come much fresher looking than Philadelphus coronarius aureus. Catching the sunshine it is luminous.

2.

Euphorbias are such good plants somehow always interesting looking. This is Euphorbia griffithii Dixter showing its orange bracts to the sunshine.

3

Cerinthe major purpurascens

These are self sown from last year. I like the glaucous, slightly fleshy leaves and drooping purple heads. They make a good cut flower.

4.

‘ Pleats please’ of the Hornbeam, Carpinus betula variety rather than the Issey Miyake creation. Such neat foliage.

5

A new combination for me Brunnera macro Dawson’s white ( yes I know the flowers are blue but the foliage is white) Tulips. I cannot find the note I will have made, somewhere, with the names of these two varieties. Sorry about that. So annoying when that happens.

And 6.

More tulips. These are the scented ones I had in my vase here this week. They are in a raised bed to help the bulbs keep out of the thick clay. It seems to work well as these are last years bulbs. In the foreground are Tulip Brown sugar and Ballerina.

Thank you for looking at my Six for this Saturday. Enjoy the long Easter weekend and some warm weather, perfect to enjoy the garden. D.

Six On Saturday: Sakura

Tags

blossom time, Japan, Sakura, six on saturday, spring 2019

It is cherry blossom time in Japan. It is wonderful. These are my favourite views so far. I do not know the varieties and I have not grown these but I love them and hope you will enjoy me sharing them with The Propagator and you too.

A potted tree outside a doorway in Kyoto.

Not actually cherry at all but flowering and celebrated at the same time. Japanese quince.

Against a blue sky in Kyoto. Pink and dreamy.

At the Golden Pavilion these had just opened. Such a strong pink.

The florists are selling stems or twigs of blossoms. This arrangement was in a shop entrance.

White blossoms against freshly opened Acer foliage.

Imagine how gorgeous the blossoms are and then know that the Japanese have blossoms on all their products including cola, stationary, sweets.

Joyful.

Have a great week. D.

Six on Saturday: galloping

Tags

Anthriscus sylvestris, cow parsley, dwarf Narcissus, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Grape hyacinth, March, Muscari, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Prunus Nipponica Ruby, Sambucus Nigra, six on saturday, spurge

Hello. I am joining The Propagator with a Six on Saturday. Galloping? As the days lengthen and the sun warms a little, growth in the garden is changing almost as we look and the time to get all the jobs done is well , galloping by.

1.

Prunus Nipponica Ruby. On Monday only one or two of the flower blossoms were open and I included a piece of it in my vase IAVOM. Now just five days later the blossoms are nearly all open.

2.

Cow parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris. Last week there was only a peek of it on the ground now it is ankle deep at the bottom of my garden under the big three Horse chestnut trees.

3.

Spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides. I love the lime colour against the willow fencing. This is a must have plant for rough ground under trees.

4.

Narcissus Tête-à-tête. Still flowering these are quite early to show their faces. Tiny but bright and a sign of spring if ever there was one.

5.

Sambucus niger from darkest black buds to delicious rich leaves, these are opening out now and I shall look forward to the lace effect of those leaves soon.

6.

Finally muscari, Grape Hyacinth. These are a great shot of blue growing happily under the Hormbeam hedge.

Enjoy your weekend, wherever you are. Thanks for reading. D.

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.