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.

 

Six on Saturday: 15/9/18

Tags

Coreopsis moonbeam, Erigeron karvinskianus, pelargonium tomentosum, persicaria affinis, six on saturday, Succulents, Verbena bonariensis

Hello. Joining The Propagator with a quick six from my garden this morning.

Verbena bonariensis tall, willowy and beautiful, a firm favourite with most people. Against a blue sky, what is not to like.

Just a green leaf?

This is a fabulous leaf, soft and furry to touch, think puppy soft, and such a magnificent scent, strong, powerful like those extra strong mints. This is Pelargonium Tomentosum. ( Not grown for its flowers which are very insignificant but white).

You know I love daisies, this is Erigeron, it’s everywhere.

Ground cover, Persicaria affinis gets into its own at this time of year. I enjoy seeing the flowers in various states of open.

The best yellow? Certainly gentle and rather charming this is Coreopsis Moonbeam.

Succulents are always fascinating and my collection is quite old but some years they do better than others. Whilst this years long, hot Summer was fabulous for them the long, dark, cold and wet Winter really harmed them. Even under glass they hated the dark and they came out this Spring looking withered and shrunken. Those that survived are looking much happier now.

Have a wonderful weekend. D.

Six on Saturday: September 1

Tags

Cercis canadensis, Dahlia William Morris, Forest pansy, helianthus, sanguisorba canadensis, September, six on saturday, sunflower, trifolium repens William, Zinnia

I am joining The Propagator with six plants from my garden which are still looking good this Saturday.

In no particular order, first off the wonderful Cercis canadensis or Forest Pansy

I have had this small tree for about ten years and it spent nine of those in a large pot. Now in a raised bed it has room to spread its roots and it has grown by almost a third. Each new leaf is a delight, heart shaped, shiny and back lit they have a translucent quality to the glorious deep red.

2. Ground cover in a shape not unlike a lucky clover, this is Trifolium repens William. I like the dark foliage.

This is number 3 , Sanguisorba canadensis

It is a magnet for pollinators and seems to be thriving in my heavy soil

4. Jolly annuals, this is Zinnia, one of a mix pack of oranges, pink, reds and yellows. I rather like this pale pink one.

5: please excuse the poor picture but Dahlia William Morris is a corker. Dark foliage and a strong coloured red/ orange Dahlia flower.

Finally number 6 another annual, this is a claret sunflower.

I love the garden at this time of year when the light levels change and dew appears, I wonder what your six might be? Wishing you a great weekend. D .

Six on Saturday: 14/7/18

Tags

buddleja Miss Ruby, Buddliea, butterfly bush, Cercis canadensis, Daylily, echinops ritro, Forest pansy, hemerocallis little grape, hydrangea arborescens Annabelle, Lily, six on saturday, stachys

This is a new meme for me. Simply put this is a look at six plants in my garden which are looking at their best and most interesting right now.

Cercis candanensis underplanted with stachys

Such sweet glossy heart shaped leaves become bigger and bigger and back lit their foliage is unquestionably eye catching.

Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle and chair. This is their second year and boy do they deliver.

From lime green they open to a dreamy green white, one of those colours the people at Farrow and Ball would no doubt find a great name for.

Lily

After a few weeks picking off lily beetle these are looking in good condition and smell divine. They are huge too, about 1m tall. Shall I pick them? Hmm maybe just one.

Echinacea purpurea

I planted these in 2015 and unlike my last garden they have returned each year looking bigger and better.

This is Hemerocallis Little Grape. All daylily do well on my heavy clay soil and this one is a cast off from my friend Liz. Thanks Liz! It is smaller than most at about 40cm high but the strength of colour is very good.

Buddliea love them? Or loathe them? I would not be without at least one as they definitely bring butterflies into the garden. This is Buddleja Miss Ruby a modest sized version at 2x2m but easily contained with a spring pruning The aroma is very fruity. I really like the sharp colour on this one.

Echinops ritro I love all of the echinops but some such as Taplow Blue do not do well on my soil. This however is delightful, makes a good cut flower and adds such a clear form after the alliums are over. so that’s my six on Saturday. If you have six to share please add a link #sixonsaturday The propagator

Have a great weekend. D.