Six on Saturday: autumnal

Tags

amelanchier, crimson glory vine, Dahlia Cafe au Lait, Helianthus salicifolius, June berry, parthenocissus quinquefolia, six on saturday, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’, Virginia Creeper, Vitis coignetiae

Rain has come in this month and although, so far, the month is mild, the weakening light is changing the view.

My six I am sharing with you lovely folk and The Propagator this weekend reflect the changes:

1.

At the garden where I work we battle to keep the Virginia creeper under control. It scrambles up the walls of the house and left unchecked comes in through the windows. Often threatened with a pruning saw at ground level, this week it has reminded us why it is allowed to stay.

2. Cafe au Lait

The tubers came from Waitrose and were planted last year. They overwintered under a deep mulch. Real show stoppers.

3.

This is Helianthus salicifolius. Tall with lovely quirky foliage and topped with very late (October) opening golden flowers. I rather like the foliage more than the flowers.

4.

Another late flowering lovely, this is Lady in black . Dainty flowers smother the stems from top to bottom. Really pretty it has been planted to form an informal edge to the border.

5.

Autumn is certainly coming, just look at the turning foliage on the Crimson glory vine, Vitis coignetiae. This is growing on the wall of the garage and it is pleasing to see it begin to colour up as last year the leaves just dropped off with no colour change.

6.

This dripping wet red leaf is Amelanchier. A small shrub currently it will become a statement feature in spring and Autumn.

That’s my six. Join us or read some of the other sixes. Enjoy your weekend wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: National Garden Scheme

Tags

Aeoniums, apple juice, Calamagrostis brachytricha, Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, Carers Trust, Cercis canadensis, Cerciscanadensis Forest pansy, grasses, Horatio's Garden, Hospice UK, Leonard Cheshire, Macmillan Cancer Support, Maggie's Centres, Marie Curie, MS Society, National Garden Scheme, NGS, Parkinson's UK, Perennial, Queens Nursing Institute, six on saturday, stipa tenuissima, Verbena bonariensis

Tomorrow my garden is open in aid of the National Garden Scheme, NGS.  For those who do not know, the NGS is a registered charity which in 2017 raised a whopping £3.1m, not bad from open gardens and selling tea and cakes,  This was divided amongst the following charities: Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Carers Trust, Queen’s Nursing institute, Parkinson’s UK, Perennial, MS Society, Maggie’s Centres, Leonard Cheshire, Horatio’s Garden and not amongst gardeners as one friend thought.

I have worked flat out in the month of September, weeding, digging, trimming, edging, sweeping, deadheading and watering to prepare the garden as best as possible. I am on first name terms with the chaps at the dump.  Rather annoyingly then that the weather has decided to be somewhat inhospitable blowing in a gale and rain.  Undeterred I am hoping that a hardy group of gardening types and perhaps Aeonium fanciers will show up.

This splendid bunch have been donated by a very generous chap who prefers to remain anonymous and I shall be selling cuttings for folk to take home.  All in aid of NGS.  Absolute Aeonium heaven.

2.  There will be a selection of cards, old gardening magazines and apple juice for sale.  The apple juice has been pressed from the tree in my garden.

 

3. The roses may be almost finished but there are Cosmos and Zinnias. The main sight is perhaps the Verbena bonariensis.

It has self sown all around the garden and in the cracks in the paving.

4.  Blowing in the wind will be a mixture of grasses which are at their peak in early Autumn.

Calamagrostis Karl Foerster, Calamagrostis brachytricha and Stipa tenuissima

5. A small tree which is always admired, not least by me, Cercis canadensis

The red toned heart shaped leaves are delightful.

6.  There will be some shelter from the worst of the weather inside my rather grandly named summer house.  (It is neither summer nor a house).

Joining our host the Propagator who encourages us to list our top six from our gardens.  Thanks for reading.

Now if the weather would just be kind….

Thank you to all my helpers and cake makers, lenders of time and lenders of other bits and bobs, givers of general moral support.  I certainly would not be able to this without you.  Wishing you all a lovely weekend wherever you are.  D.

Six on Saturday: last days of summer

Tags

Aeonium, Aster, Calamagrostis brachytricha, Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, Rose "Lark Ascending", rose a shropshire lad, September, six on saturday, Succulents, Symphyotrichum Little Carlow

Beautiful Rose, a Shropshire Lad is flowering again. A soft, gentle scent can be detected, deep within the many layers of petals.

Rose Lark Ascending is also flowering, continually to be honest. How gorgeous it is looking in this September light.

Rosette type flower in the form of an Aeonium. I have no idea which variety this is but it is looking particularly handsome in this light. The succulents will need to come under cover at any minute but today they can soak up the last gasps of summer.

Grasses are at their most glorious right now. This is no exception. Calamagrostis brachytricha. My new favourite.

Mind you, I still think Calamagrostis Karl Foerster takes some beating, especially back lit like this.

Last but not least are these delightfully cheery Aster

Now known as Symphyotrichum Little Carlow. How are we supposed to keep up with name changes? Mind boggling.

These are my Six and I have put them together to share with you lovely folk and The Propagator our host.

With one week to go to my NGS opening I fear that the weather will have changed to soggy yuck. These images will be a mere memory.

Right , I need to get a wiggle on. ‘Jobs to do ‘ list awaits!

Enjoy your weekend, wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: stunning September

Tags

apple juice, Bees, Calamagrostis brachytricha, Cosmos, dried alliums, Echinacea Delicious Candy, sanguisorba canadensis, September, six on saturday

The weather the last few days has been glorious, warm, with highs of around 20c, blue skies and long shadows. Yet for gardeners it is a struggle to keep a garden looking fresh as it is so very dry.

Dry Alliums, hanging in the summer house. These are to my mind too pretty to compost and are almost as lovely as the Spring forms when they appear in shades of purple. These dried out skeleton alliums act as a reminder to pop a few more in this autumn. The first of my Six on Saturday

2. To quench the dry

These are my bottles of apple juice collected from Mr Nutkin, Tring’s Own Apple Juice. For £1.50 a bottle he can convert your apples and pears into juice. It prolongs shelf life of the fruit for up-to about 18months and is delicious too. Worth every penny.

3.

Bees are happily doing their thing on the Cosmos. No bees no fruit. Very welcome here I say.

4.Sanguisorba candanensis

I love these and they grow well on my nasty hard clay ground.

5.

These are the lovely tails of Calamagrostis brachytricha. They come into their own late in summer. Tactile.

6.Something sweet

This is Echinacea Delicious Candy. That colour is not enhanced in any way. Glorious in yer face pink.

These are my 6. Please join us and refer to the Propagator above to find out how.

Have a great weekend wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday

Tags

Aster, Bees, Borage officinalis, Cosmos, Dahlia Bishop of Auckland, garden opening for charity, National Garden Scheme, six on saturday, stipa tenuissima, Verbena macdougalii Lavender Spires

I am under (self imposed) pressure to get the garden ready for its NGS opening on 29/9. Yesterday I made good progress chopping back, weeding and mulching and today a car full went to the tip. My Six today are some of the sights that I enjoyed this morning before the next round begins.

1.

The Bishop of Auckland. Dahlia. Finally throwing some flowers. Hope Brother Dorris and family like this one.

2.

Hairy bees and borage

3. Stipa tenuissima looking better for a comb to remove its sticky seeds.

4.

Rudbeckia maxima looking more upright than yesterday thanks to a bit of late staking. The wind yesterday had all but flattened them.

5.

Verbena macdougalii Lavender Spires. I especially like this variation for its curious fingers.

6.

The foliage of the Cosmos looks vibrant against the dark backdrop of Aster lateriflorus Lady in Black.

That’s it. Back to the weeding. Hoping you get chance to join in or read The Propagator post.

Have a good weekend, wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: the terrace

Tags

burnet, dolly tub, geranium, jasmine clotted cream, Lemon Verbena, olive trees, Pelargonium gray lady Plymouth, pelargonium tomentosum, Rosemary, sanguisorba, six on saturday

I have not talked about the plants on the terrace before. It is only accessed through the house and as such is completely private and not open for my NGS opening.

South facing, it is walled in three places and consequently very sheltered. Comprising a deck with raised beds the plants came from my old garden and are more suited to the hot spot with better drainage. Anyway less chat, here’s the six to share with you and The Propagator

1. Jasmine ‘Clotted Cream’

The aroma is heady in the evenings, really lovely. It is borderline hardy and loses it’s leaves over winter.

2.

Just plain old Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis but it’s very happy and looks lovely in spring covered in blue flowers.

I use it in cooking but even Nigella would struggle to use this much.

3. Sanguisorba officinalis

I love these claret coloured pastilles bobbing about.

4.

Silver toned foliage of Olive tree. Olea europaea. This was a tiny example when planted and now it is about 2m tall. I love the foliage.

5. Scented leaves

Have I mentioned how much I love a scented leaf? In my dolly tub I have Geranium/ Pelargonium tomentosum, Lemon Verbena and Geranium/ Pelargonium gray lady Plymouth . Not especially interesting to look at but tactile and soft as puppy ears, Geranium tomentosum is also strongly mint scented. Lemon Verbena is like sherbet lemons when crushed.

6. Wonky Topiary

Not meant to be wonky but I now see that it is. Buxus.

Better put my goggles on next time!

That’s it, my Six for this Saturday. Thanks to the Propagator for hosting, enjoy your weekend, wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: it’s August

Tags

Alex Moore, August, Echinacea Delicious Candy, Echinacea purpurea, Echinops ritro white, Helianthus salicifolius, madebymoore, sempervivums, six on saturday, Succulents, Vitis coignetiae, weather

It is August yet the weather seems to think otherwise. I took these pictures yesterday morning when they were blowing in the wind and covered in rain, rather than basking in any glorious August sunshine. Hey ho, it could be worse, it could be today! What a shocker. Truly atrocious summer weather.

Here’s the six:

Six succulents. Some are Sempervivums I hear you cry.

I don’t have names for any of these apart from Aeonium zwartkop (that’s the fourth one). These grow well in coastal regions in the UK but here in my garden on the Herts. /Bucks borders, mine survive, rather than thrive.

The succulents are precious to me and they are carefully placed in the house over the winter months as they are not at all hardy and they hate our wet cold winters. Don’t we all.

The Houseleeks or sempervivums are left outside but under glass to protect them from the worst or the weather. They are quite tough really.

I enjoy these every Summer and forget how annoying it is in the Winter to find space for them.

2.

This is the third year for Althea cannabina and it has hit its stride. Wonderful, wafting in the wind, oodles of soft pink, mallow like flowers, taller than me. I wouldn’t be without it. Here it has fronds of Molinia Transparent and Coreopsis Verticillata Moonbeam behind it.

3. Echinacea ‘Delicious Candy’

I purchased this last August, drawn to its luminous colour and name. It is beginning to bulk up. Cathy remarked that these do not do well in her garden ( frankly the only thing, everything she grows looks so good) after one appeared earlier this week in my IAVOM. Echinacea do like an open site and with room to bulk up, to thrive. They only lasted one year in my last garden.

3. Echinacea purpurea

This is their time. Flowering when the roses are recharging their batteries. Good with grasses. Just great for bees.

4.

This pile of green leaves may not look very interesting but trust me, it will be a stunner this autumn. Vitis coignetiae or Crimson Glory vine. It is climbing over the garage wall and has reached onto the roof. It will be in for a major chop soon enough.

5.

The willow like foliage is what I grow the perennial sunflower for. Helianthus salicifolius. It will have small daisy like flowers in the autumn and will reach 2.5m tall.

The yellow flowers I like less. I am even considering pinching out the flowers as they will detract from the shaggy texture which is so intriguing. Alas the wind is battering them today.

6. Echinops

These pale Pom poms are taking over. Echinops ritro white. I like them less than E Veitch Blue but these are better suited to my heavy soil. In case you are wondering what is in the centre of the picture, it is the bird feeder made by Alex Moore.

I love how it is fully surrounded by plant life now.

Joining our host The Propagator who is on his ‘olidays. Enjoy !

Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: phew! (we survived the heat)

Tags

asiatic lilies, daylilies, hemerocallis Little Grapette, Hydrangea paniculata limelight, lilies, lily martagon, shasta daisies, six on saturday, Turks cap lily, Verbena bonariensis

Hello and welcome to Six on Saturday, hosted by The Propagator .

This is the week that has seen temperatures to break records, although not quite. This is the week that has seen a change in Prime-minister, and yet there was no general election. This is the week that held up the gardener as it was just too darned hot for this Dorris.

This was the week that saw the first opening of my asiatic lilies. Their scent filled the hot evening air.

Is there a more heady scent or a more handsome flower? Perhaps, but not open this week.

2. Purple reigns. This is the week that I really sat up to notice that the Verbena bonariensis may be making a bid for garden domination.

Good job I love it.

3. I took a shady walk in the beautiful gardens at Stowe this week. Set out by Capability Brown the landscape gardens are always an enjoyable place to visit. What caught my eye were these:

Lily martagon or Turks cap lilies. They are tiny compared to the asiatic lilies above but their markings are exquisite. I shall have to try growing some next year. Are they easy enough?

4. This morning the weather has changed. Another extreme, thunderstorms and a power cut first thing. Raindrops on the Shasta daisies are a refreshing sight.

I do love a daisy.

5. I know I shared Hemerocallis Little Grapette before but it is very lovely so do please forgive me.

6. Standing on my head for this one

First openings of Hydrangea paniculata Limelight.

This is when I like it most, fresh and lime. Alas it will fade to pink and please me less. Who said I am fussy.

Thats it, phew.

Have a good weekend, wherever you are. Thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: everything but the kitchen sink

Tags

Ammi majus, Ammi visnaga, Cercis canadensis, Crocosmia Lucifer, Echinacea purpurea, hydrangea arborescens Annabelle, Hymenocallis, July, poppy seed heads, sempervivums, six on saturday, Spiderlily, Verbena bonariensis

Blast off! This is such an exciting sight for me, the Spiderlily is flowering. Granted not as exciting as man on the moon and it is not a Spider from Mars but it is a spider from me. I love it! Looking smart enough to be allowed in the house. The clay pot is my one special Whichford Pottery pot.

2.

A fistful of flowers for a friend.

There are verbena bonariensis, Hydrangea Annabelle, Echinacea purpurea, poppy seed heads, a pink lily, Ammi majus and Ammi visnaga both grown easily from seed and a Buddleja flower . All of these are from my garden.

3. Leading you down the garden path:

My favourite tree, Cercis canadensis has thrived since it was moved from its pot into the raised bed. I am enjoying how it is overhanging the path. ( I know I keep using this using this on my SOS but I don’t care, I think it’s fab.)

4. Successful looking succulents and sempervivums

Those of you who grow these know that little skill is required, just free draining soil and lots of grit. I think they are delightful, each one slightly different.

5. In your face, red

This is Crocosmia Lucifer. Such a vibrant red. It is very, in your face, dominant but I am quite liking them with the Stipa tenuissima behind.

6. This is Hydrangea time. Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle.

I do love a Hydrangea and they have become fashionable again so that’s good.

How could anyone could resist these.

How they graduate from lime to creamy white, getting fuller and bigger as they open. ( shown in reverse order here).

That’s it, my Six on Saturday. The Propagator is our host and thanks to him we share our favourites each week.

I hope you have a great week wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: summertime

Tags

Cercis canadensis, cornflowers, hydrangea arborescens Annabelle, July, poppies, seed heads, six on saturday, stipa tenuissima, Succulents

Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle is opening, surely a sign that it is summer. These are flower filled mops, in a creamy lime colour tone that looks as if it was lifted from one of those Farrow&Ball colour charts. Gorgeous.

This is my first of the Six On Saturday I’m sharing with our host The Propagator

2. Another sign of summer has to be that the succulents are outside

Not the best examples but loved nonetheless.

3. Forest pansy is a beautiful specimen and a real favourite of mine.

Back lit the colour is arguably unbeatable. Cercis canadensis.

4.

Haze. This haze is created by the delightfully tactile Stipa tenuissima. I love these grasses for their movement; the slightest breath of air is all they need to move.

5. Opium poppies

These are very short lived but so pretty and wonderful for bees . Today they have finished flowering and I am left with fat grey seed heads.

I love these almost as much.

6.

Cornflowers are such a wonderfully intense blue, not unlike a Sir Terence Conran shirt. Great for cut flowers, great colour in the border. An easy plant. Sprinkle some seed in the spring and Bobs your uncle.

Whether Bob is your uncle or not, you see that this selection includes some of the easiest peasiest plants to grow. What are you Six favourites today? Join us.

Have a lovely weekend wherever you are. Thanks for reading. D.