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.

 

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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.