In a vase on Monday: is it really October?

Tags

Astrantia major, cornflower, David Austin Roses, in a vase on Monday, October roses, Rose 'Gertrude Jekyll', rose a shropshire lad, Rose The Pilgrim

The weather this weekend has been incredible, dry, mild, bright and crunchy, (if weather can be crunchy that is).

I have been raking up barrows full of conkers, leaves, rotting windfalls. So far so Autumn

And yet the mild weather has allowed another flush of roses. A Shropshire Lad, Gertrude Jekyll, the Pilgrim.

Surprisingly there are a few Astrantia in flower and even some Cornflowers.

These roses do not have quite the same strength of smell at this time of the year. The flower heads may droop thanks to their slightly weaker stems yet there is no doubt that these roses are a lovely sight in mid October.

I am joining Cathy and the other regulars with in a vase on Monday. Have a lovely week. D.

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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.

 

Silent Sunday: sunshine, sunflowers, September

Tags

Autumn sunshine, September, Silent Sunday, sunflower, sunshine

Silent Sunday: first, second, third

Tags

Borage, favourites, in the garden right now, June, Rose "Lark Ascending", rose a shropshire lad, Silent Sunday

Wordless Wednesday: Chelsea Flower Show (sights which caught my eye)

Tags

blue, camassia, Chelsea Flower Show 2018, David Austin Roses, favourite sights, Iris Sibirica, lupins, shadows, Tottering by Gently, vases, wordless wednesday

Auricula theatre

David Austin Rose ‘Tottering by Gently’

Lupins everywhere

Blues

Blue sky over London plane trees

Shadows

Hanging vase

Tiny vases

Blue vase

Sarah Raven trade stand vases.

Delightful poppies

Camassia and Iris

Moss and Japan

In a vase on Monday: last of the tulips

Tags

in a vase on Monday, May in my garden, parrot tulip, Spring flowers, tulip Angelique, Tulip Apricot Beauty, Tulip Ballerina, Tulip Queen of the Night, tulips

I picked these yesterday morning before the day warmed up to its predicted 22 degrees.  Can you believe how the weather has become Summer almost overnight? Every where you look people seem to be enjoying this long weekend of weather and making the most of the long awaited sunlight.  Anyway the tulip flowers are open and a day out in the heat would have finished them off.

I popped the tulips in the large blue glass vase brother Dorris gave as a gift many years ago.  It always works well with tulips as it hides the somewhat messy leaf and stalk set up that tulips do have. 

From above the black table sets off the striking colours of Ballerina and Angelique while the dark near black of Queen of the Night seems properly black, she does seem regal.

So these may be the last of my tulips but I have been pleased with them as they all flowered in pots last year and were lifted and repotted in a raised bed this year. I think they may have done better this year than last.

I hope as it is a bank holiday Monday you will have a few minutes to spare and to pop over to see Cathy.  There will be lots of other vases full of wonderful flowers, maybe some foliage and some will have accessories to look at.  It is a lovely way to start the week, go on, take a quick look, it will not disappoint.

Now if you will excuse me, I am hoping to get some garden work done before it gets too warm for an English gal like me.

Enjoy your day, wherever you are. D.

Silent Sunday: from this, to this

Tags

April, from this to this, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Silent Sunday, what to do with s broken barrow, wheelbarrow planter

Wordless Wednesday: up against it

Tags

clay soil, great weather for ducks, rain rain go away, standing water, wordless wednesday

This is what I am faced with, standing water. Less of a garden, more of a pond.

In a Vase on Monday: cock-a-doodle-do

Tags

April, daffodils, Easter Monday, frog, in a vase on Monday, Muscari, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Narcissus ‘Rip-van-winkle’, Narcissus Lemon sailboat, pulmonaria, Spring flowers

It is Easter, it is Monday and therefore I was on the look out for flowers and eggs to share with you and readers of Cathy’s blog.

No eggs, this cockerel has sat looking out of the window for about twenty years.

Now he is on my desk with these tiny flowers from the garden. Muscari, pulmonaria and various daffodils.

The two small daffodils are Tête-à-tête on the left and lemon sailboat on the right. Rip van Winkle is the scruff at the back and the large Daffodil is just a regular garden daff.

Held in place on a florists frog, no amphibians were hurt in the process.

I hope you have had an enjoyable long weekend and I am sure you will join me in chanting “rain, rain, go away” D.

Saturday smile: blushing.

Tags

blushing, camellia, Easter, March, pink buds, Saturday smile, white flowers

You may possibly remember me showing you a fat pink bud from my camellia? in a vase? No? oh do please pay attention.

I should love to be able to tell you that the bud has opened to reveal its white centre. Alas not. After two weeks the bud had fattened up, then almost over night it just gave up and browned on the edges. Disappointing.

Outside however, despite the onslaught of the Beast from the east and incessant rain, this has revealed itself:

Somehow the pink buds have begun to open revealing this, a white flower, blushing.

Happy Easter to you, wherever you may be. D.