Friday 18 September 20

Tags

Autumn, In a vase, ornamental gourds, September, Thank goodness it's Friday

There is a warming illumination from this September light.

Ornamental gourds, grown from seed, looking so very colourful in my glass pot.

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

Friday faffing: cardoon

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artichoke thistle, Cardoon, Cynara cardunculus, Ornamental Artichoke, Thank goodness it's Friday

My Friday favourite

A flower for your Friday: Oopsy

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calendula, Oopsy Daisy

Calendula Oopsy Daisy

Friday favourites: July

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Aeonium Cyclops, Aeonium velour, Crocosmia Lucifer, penstemon garnet, summer rain

The garden here is really beginning to mature and fill in, now that it is some five years old.  Walking round this morning, after so much rain last night, these were my favourite sights.

The Aeoniums were looking fabulous with raindrops this morning.  This is Aeonium velour.  I have to overwinter them in the house and by the time it is safe, frost free from about mid-May the Aeoniums tend to look rather puny and pale.  They like the heat but in particular they need good sunlight.  That is perhaps why they do so well in coastal locations.  By July they are really looking as they should, sumptuous, richly coloured and succulent.  I really love them.

This near black Aeonium is Aeonium cyclops so named I guess because its central ‘eye’ keeps green.  This is one of my favourites as I appreciate the contrast in colour and think it is even more interesting than the black Aeonium zwartkop.

Strong colour in the garden is growing on me and this combination is not for everyone perhaps but I really like it.

These are the unopened petals of Crocosmia Lucifer dripping in rainwater against a pink backdrop of Penstemon Garnet.

Right it is time for a glass of something delicious. Cheers. D.

Friday: cheeky flowers

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bottom, flowers for the house, from the garden where I work, garden flowers, garden ornaments, peonies, roses, the boys

Roses and peonies

A little something to make you smile. Have a lovely weekend everyone, wherever you are. D.

Happy Easter to you

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Easter, mixed tulips collection, sarah Raven, Thank goodness it's Friday, Tulip Ballerina, tulip Brown Sugar, tulips

Scented Tulips

Emerging tulips

Sarah Raven tulips
collection

A queer kind of Easter weekend for all of us under lockdown. For those without an outdoor space I really hope you are able to get outside for a walk.

As most people who are kind enough to look at this blog are garden lovers I guess you may have a garden of your own to enjoy. Tend your garden but do try not to spend all day working in it! (That is what I shall try to do, but well there is just so much to be done at this time of year).

Sharing tulip joy. Happy Easter. D.

Friday: faffing with flowers

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faffing with flowers, florist ring, harvesting flowers, Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote', lavender, wreath

Yesterday I picked some of the blue lavender flowers before trimming the rest. The smell was heavenly but slightly nose tickling, it’s a very dusty sort of job if done when it should, when the lavender is bone dry.

This is Lavandula angustifolia Hidcote

I then bundled the flower heads into groups of 20-30 flowers, holding them together with florists wire.

The bundles were then wound onto a florists metal ring, using more of the wire.

Here is the end result attached to Ali’s door.

Have a great day. D.

Little helping hands

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garden visit, jobs to be done, NGS

Brother Dorris and his family visited from New Zealand for a few days. Yesterday, before they left for the airport they helped me do a few jobs in the garden.

The best little helper, helped me plant some seeds: Red Pak Choi, French breakfast radish and Calendula.

The best kind of help.

In the run up to my Open Garden at the end of September, in aid of The National Garden Scheme I have got a phenomenal amount to get done. This little bit of help has got me started on the task ahead.

Thanks. Have a safe trip back. D.

Butterfly count

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a butterfly book for the pocket, bigbutterflycount.org, butterflies, Edmund Sandars, Oxford University Press 1939

Today is the start of the Big Butterfly count in the UK. 19 July to 11 August 2019.

You can download an identification chart from Big Butterfly Count, there is a free App and you can also read about how to count them. Yes I know we can all count but we need to be sure we do not count the same Butterfly more than once.

Counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature: butterflies react very quickly to changes in their environment which makes them great biodiversity indicators. The count will help scientists identify trends in species.

Choosing the right weather ( bright and sunny ) is important.

I think today’s weather will not be suitable (rain) but there’s plenty of time to take part.

Celebrity endorsers, if you’re interested in such stuff, include Sir David Attenborough, President of Butterfly Conservation, Alan Titchmarsh MBE, and Joanna Lumley OBE.

I shall take part armed with one of my favourite little books: A Butterfly Book for the pocket by Edmund Sandars. ( Oxford University Press London: Humphrey Milford 1939). I found it on a market in Old Amersham many years ago.

The pictures above were taken by me in 2012. Time to get counting and to take some new pictures! I hope you will take part.

Thanks for reading. D.

Friday flowers: welcome to Delft

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Delft, dianthus, flowers and wine, the best combination, the Netherlands