Six on Saturday: 25April2020

Tags

Aesculus hippocastanum, Anthriscus sylvestris, apple blossom, Cameraria ohridella, Cercis canadensis, cow parsley, Foeniculum vulgare purpureum, Forest pansy, Hebe hulkeana, Horse chestnut tree, leaf miner, New Zealand lilac, Purple fennel, six on saturday

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather as it seems it is forecast to change. I have been grass cutting just now (groan) and weeding again (bigger groan). I am not moaning though, I feel very lucky to have space outside and I love my garden, it is just that those particular tasks are about as exciting as the washing up.

More exciting are the beautiful sights and these are my six to share with the Propagator and you.

First off is this huge bunch of Anthriscus sylvestris, Cow Parsley. Picked to stop it seeding around the garden and picked because I adore it for its airy and delicate freshness. This is adorning the zinc table in my summer house. Sounds a bit fancy but it really is not a house as it has no doors or windows.

More lovely white flowers. These are veritable candelabras compared to the Cow parsley. The flowers of the Horse chestnut tree. Aesculus hippocastanum.

The trees look magnificent at this time of year and I don’t want to visualise the sorry sight they become by late Summer due to leaf miner Cameraria ohridella.

Then there is the lovely apple blossom which I am enjoying everyday knowing that as soon as the rain comes it will be gone, washed away, curtains.

Combinations of foliage are always interesting to me. I am liking the foliage of purple fennel, Foeniculum vulgare Purpureum, behind the emerging flowers of the New Zealand LilacThe blue grey foliage is from Thalictrum Elin. Not actually a Lilac it is Hebe hulkeana.

Then there is the emerging foliage of Cercis canadensis , Forest pansy.

The pea like pink flowers are beginning to drop and this year the branches have been covered. A first.

Lastly there is this view to share

A seating area backed by the garage wall. Just trying not to look at all the grass that needs weeding out to make way for the annuals. Big groan.

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

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Six on Saturday: some faves

Tags

Aesculus hippocastanum, Anthriscus sylvestris, California poppy, cow parsley, Eschscholzia californica, harts tongue fern, horse chestnut trees, house leeks, papaver patty’s plum, sempervivums, six on saturday

May is possibly the most exciting time in the garden. So much is happening. You can almost hear the growing. The ferns are unfurling and that is where I shall start.

1.

Harts tongue Asplenium scolopendrium

This is a plant which came to me from Rambling Cathy a couple of years ago and how established it looks now. The freshness of the green is strong and those tongues look at their most interesting as they uncurl.

2.

Horse chestnut trees Aesculus hippocastanum

There were 5 of these in 2015 and I took the decision to have two of them removed to enable these room to grow. They are looking at their most majestic now. Growing below them, in the dry shade is my number 3

I know it is a weed, I know it may make a bid for total control but I love it. I shall cut it back hard and remove some of it next week.

Cow Parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris

4. From green and white to hot orange, these are self sown orange Californian poppies.

Eschscholzia Californica

Today is overcast and they haven’t fully opened but their vibrancy is working hard to brighten the sky.

5. More poppies

Another poppy trying to brighten the skies.

The centre seems so bright and yet the outer petals live up to its name Papaver Patty’s Plum. I love the fat hairy buds on perennial poppies.

6. House leeks

Newly potted sempervivums. I love these plants, so many variations, all beautiful.

My six favourites today to share with you and our host The Propagator .

Do share your six with us or if you haven’t got time at least take a few minutes to scroll through some other bloggers joining this popular meme.

Enjoy the weekend. D.

Tuesday View: 8/11/16

Tags

Aesculus hippocastanum, European horse chestnut, frosty November, persicaria affinis, Tuesday View

Persicaria affinis

This morning we woke to our first proper frost.  Bright at the moment, rain later.  So a quick few shots of the view to share with Cathy and you, of course, at https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com

A frozen Shropshire Lad

Cynara cardunulus dusted with frost looking almost monochrome

The border showing Autumn colours with a backdrop of Horse Chestnut trees, Aesculus hippocastanum. 

If you look carefully you can see that the leaves are dropping.  Looks like some more raking is required.

Frozen

The light was lovely, golden. A beautiful Autumn morning, I hope you got to see a bit of it. 

In a vase on Monday: brown and sticky

Tags

Aesculus hippocastanum, brown snd sticky, camellia japonica, horse chestnut, in a vase on Monday, sticky buds

At the bottom of my garden are three Horse Chestnut trees, Aesculus hippocastanum. The sticky buds have suddenly started to open.

Rather brown and very sticky might seem somewhat dull compared to the array of brown and sticky chocolate eggs some of you may be scoffing and compared to some of the wonderful Spring flowers used at Cathy’s blog https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com

Brown maybe but never dull, the trees offer sticky buds, flowers and conkers . A favourite of children and bees. Those buds facing Northeast are still tightly shut whereas those facing southwesterly, see below are opening.

Trees are fabulous and the Horse chestnut is one of the greats. So far mine have not suffered too greatly with the Bleeding canker which now infects half of all UK horse-chestnuts. Not wishing to depress you at Easter, on your day off, I will not mention any more about the list of disease attacking our horse chestnuts. .
To end instead is a picture of a cheery sight, pink Camellia japonica in the sunshine.
Happy Easter.