Six on Saturday: kaleidoscope

Tags

Allium christophii, Allium Purple Sensation, Allium shubertii, Astrantia 'Roma', calendula, cytisus battandieri, Eschscholzia, marigolds, papaver Perry’s White, Rose 'Gertrude Jekyll', Sambucus Nigra, six on saturday

Orange.

Hello June, goodbye May. The garden has exploded into a kaleidoscope of colour. Above is the first of my Six on Saturday. Eschscholzia. They are self sown from last year and have popped up in drifts. I couldn’t have created this show if I had tried.

Marigolds.

The Propagator asks us to share six sights from our garden on a Saturday, a fun thing to do. Try and join us. His blog has any instructions you might need. My Six today are colour themed.

2. Purple

Of course it had to be Allium Purple Sensation. Old hat maybe but still a great colour.

Aliium christophii

Allium shubertii

3. Pink

The first rose to open is the strongly scented Gertrude Jekyll. If she wasn’t so thorny she would be perfect.

Astrantia Roma

4. Yellow

The pineapple scented Cytisus battandieri. I do not favour yellow in my garden but I enjoy this for its scent and silver foliage rather than its colour.

5. Black

Less black more deep claret to be honest. One of my favourite shrubs, Sambucus niger.

Just look at those dark leaves.

6. White

Perennial poppies this one is perhaps Perrys white. Shining and clear. Here’s a thing, before the marigolds and Eschscholzia did their thing I was planning a white planting show. Hey ho, there’s always next year.

Wishing you all a great weekend. Enjoy this summer weather. D.

Silent Sunday: Astrantia

Tags

Astrantia 'Roma', Astrantia major, Astrantia major alba, Masterwort, pincushions, Silent Sunday, star

In a Vase on Monday: the latest arrivals

Tags

anthriscus Ravenswing, Astrantia 'Roma', Geum Totally Tangerine, in a vase on Monday, May, persicaria affinis, Sweet cicely, trollius cheddar

I am feeling that spring is passing by far too quickly as lots of the early flowers are finished. Now the first of the Astrantia and Geum Totally Tangerine have appeared.

There are Persicaria affinis and bisorta. I love the little sprays of Trillium and the umbellifers Anthriscus Ravenswing and Sweet Cicely.

The latest addition is the pale yellow flower Trollius Cheddar a favourite of mine from Chelsea last year. Sorry but the colours in the pictures are not quite right as they are under electric light.

If you haven’t done so already please pop over to Cathy to see the vases today.

In a Vase on Monday: minatures

Tags

Astrantia 'Roma', cornflower, Dahlia mignon.mixed, Empress of India nasturtium, in a vase on Monday, minatures, nasturtiums, persicaria, sweet peas, Verbena bonariensis

The first of my cornflowers have appeared, and the little dahlias have opened, and the nasturtiums are finally flowering, so I just had to choose these for my vase today. 

The crinkle espresso cup/ vase is handmade by Stevenjameswill   I have placed a small frog in the base to hold the tiny stems in place. 

The lovely  named Empress of India nasturtium is such a good colour  next to the blue cornflower. 

To these I added Verbena bonariensis,  astrantias and persicaria. I do not expect them to last long but today they are brightening my kitchen window while I wash up. 

Pop over to Cathy s blog to see some lovely vases today. 

At work today these are the sweet peas I have grown for Ali.

Tuesday view: 30/5/17

Tags

Allium Purple Sensation, Astrantia 'Roma', cement mixer, David Austin Roses, Geum Totally Tangerine, Tuesday View

Sorry but today the view is this:

I suppose it does coordinate with the geums? Anyway, I must just ask how on earth can it be almost the end of May? Perhaps it is because I am fast approaching old duffer status or perhaps it is just that this time of year is so busy in the garden.

Heavy rain followed by bursts of warm sunshine and everything is growing like crazy.  The grass needs cutting, hedges need trimming, topiary needs clipping and the weeds need pulling out before they take over. ‘Boring’, I hear you cry, boring indeed but essential if I am to stop the garden reverting to a field.

thistles and buttercups

As I walk around I feel like shouting ‘hold on’ let me just look a minute.

Everything is looking healthy, granted, but there is a lot of upheaval as Rian and his team are putting in a path and patio for me.  The final section of the plan is coming together which is exciting however there is that feeling that the garden is not mine whilst sand, cement mixers and shovels dominate the space.

stuff

Yet things are happening in a pretty way too.  The Alliums are coming to their end yet it seems only a few weeks ago since I placed the bulbs carefully in the soil.

Allium Purple Sensation

Roses are beginning to open their soft delicate petals and I am looking forward to working in their midst to breathe in their wonderful perfume.

Rose Gertrude Jekyll

The pincushion like flowers of Astrantia are open and should be flowering now for most of the Summer.

Astrantia Roma and visiting bee

That is it for today’s view,  a blocked view thanks to the builders essential stuff. Not for long and it will be lovely to have the work completed.  For a more tranquil view today take a look at the view belonging to cathy the host of this meme.

Totally Not forgetting Geum Totally Tangerine

 

In a vase on Monday: rain forecast

Tags

Alchemilla mollis, anthriscus Ravenswing, Astrantia 'Roma', bank holiday monday, in a vase on Monday, Sweet cicely

This time of year the garden is galloping along, yes galloping.  I took a couple of days away last week to see the Flower Show and then a couple of days in Bath to visit family and walking around the garden today so much has happened. Alchemilla mollis has begun to open its frothy lime flowers, edging the driveway they will soften the hard lines and give me arms full of flowers to add to roses once they begin to open.  (The roses are in bud and beginning to open but I am saving them for June.)

The other froth is from the Anthriscus Ravenswing and Sweet Cicely.  Ravenswing has deeply divided leaves in a dark, or raven colour whilst its soft flowers are white tinged very slightly with a hint of raven; possibly this could make a good name for those rather wonderful colours made by Farrow and Ball. Sweet Cicely also offers a froth of flowers above deeply divided leaves but these are a purer white with green leaves.

alchemilla and sweet cicely

Last time I looked, the Astrantias were forming mounds of green foliage, now they are full of pin cushion flowers which will bloom all Summer long. I have picked Roma and Shaggy for this posy.

Astrantia Roma and Anthriscus Ravenswing, left, Sweet Cicely, right.

I have some daisy looking chrysanthemums and strawberry flowers which are actually a perennial called ho hum, I cannot remember.  Must be that Bank Holiday brain.  Anyway it likes heavier soil, flowers from late Spring to early Summer before disappearing.  It is fresh as a daisy and I do like its tiny flowers.  

When I recall the name I shall update this post.  In the meantime I need to wish you all a good day and encourage you to take a look at other vases hosted by Cathy. Do take a look.

 

In a vase on Monday: Ms Jekyll

Tags

Astrantia 'Roma', David Austin Gertrude Jekyll, in a vase on Monday, Knautia macedonia, Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant', Persicaria bistort, Thalictrum Elin

Rose Gertrude Jekyll

Monday is the day to pick some flowers from your garden to share with other like minded folk. Hosted by Cathy at https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com her meme will see some wonderful vases full now the garden is full of flowers.

The first of my roses have appeared: Gertrude jekyll is a David Austin Rose which has the benefit of a strong rose scent and it is a rose which should flower from now until about October.

To this I have added the pink astrantia, Astrantia ‘Roma’ and pink persicaria Bisort.  There is the first of the pincushions of Knautia Macedonia and a sprig of the rather vaguely blue Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’.  The froth of puple is Thalictrum Erin again, this time with its flowers open.

The garden is growing a pace, rapidly getting away from me.  Better get back out there.  Thanks for looking.

In a vase on Monday: darker

Tags

Allium Purple Sensation, amandes ameres, Anthriscus sylvestris ravenswing, apothecary bottle, Aquilegia vulgaris, Astrantia 'Roma', Bistort officinalis, bitter almond, Geum "Mrs Bradshaw", in a vase on Monday, Meadow rue, Myrrhis odorata, Persicaria bistort, Sweet cicely, Thalictrum Elin

Early Summer blooms

Oh my it is Monday and I very nearly missed joining Cathy at https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com

Cathy’s meme to collect flowers from the garden to display in the house is a delight.  If you feel you might like to join in then be sure to post a link to her blog with your pictures.

flowers in an old apothcary jar

The dark astrantia is ‘Roma’ with ‘Black barlow’ aquilegia.  There is one Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ mixed amongst Geum ‘Mrs Bradshaw’ and Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’  Ravenswing is a must have in the garden for me as its foliage is dark browny black and deeply divided  with umbels of frothy cow parsley like flowers.  It is beginning to seed around and I am delighted.

Anthriscus Ravenswing

The other umbelifiyer I am enjoying at the moment is Myrrhis odorata or Sweet Cicely. Also resembling Cow Parsley, Cicely has fern like leaves and white flowers scented rather like aniseed.

Anthriscus sylvestris Ravenswing with backgound colour of astrantia Roma and Sparaxis elegans

There are pink fingers of Bisorta officinalis, rather like a persicaria and often referred to as Persicaria bisorta, this is an early flowering persicaria type in marshmallow pink.  There is also a sprig of Thalictrum Elin.  This is the sprig of tiny dark purple bobbles in the first picture.  The bobbles will and are about to open to a colour not unlike the Purple Sensation, and have leaves like an aquilegia.

A snap shot of the flowers in my garden

One final note the jar was for bitter almonds which I understand are the non cyanide containing almonds used for flavouring foods.  That’s good then.

Have a good week.

ps. I garden on heavy clay soil which is water logged in areas over Winter ( for those who are interested in such things, like me!)

In a vase on Monday: Purple haze

Tags

Aster, Astrantia 'Roma', eupatorium, in a vase on Monday, sesli montanum, Verbena bonariensis

Overnight the weather slipped from Summer into Autumn. Gentle rain, what as children we were told is a “soft day”. So with the soft light in mind I have picked a haze of purple.

The purples centre around the froth of a forgotten named Aster, to this I have picked, for the first time Eupatorium. These were planted in the Spring this year and they are growing well, reaching up to about hip height. I hope next year they continue growing upwards to nearer 2 meters. The dark tight buds open to a lighter shade of claret.

There is some of the most pleasing of flowers, Verbena bonariensis; who could resist their iridescent shade of purple.

Astrantia Roma is included, still flowering it’s little cushions off. Then finally I have added two tiny very precious blooms from my latest fave: Seseli montanum. You have to look closely to see the tiny clustered bloom.

I hope you are having a good Monday and will take the time to join Cathy to see some of the other Monday vases.
http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/in-a-vase-on-monday-remembering-my-grannie

In a vase on Monday: progress is rather pink

Tags

Astrantia 'Roma', Dahlia Arabian Night, David Austin Roses, in a vase on Monday, Persicaria amplexicaulis Firetail, Rose 'Gertrude Jekyll', rose a shropshire lad, Verbena bonariensis

Monday is here again and I am sharing a seasonal mix of what I think of as an early summer bloom, Astrantia Roma, summer roses and autumnal dahlias. Such is our weather

These were all planted this year and I am very pleased with progress. The astrantias were slow to pull away but once they did they have more than tripled their size. Such a charming cushion of a bloom, perfect for a vase and an essential for a garden border to my mind.

The roses are A Shropshire Lad and Gertrude Jekyll . Both are David Austin roses, both are pink and both smell divine. This is their second show of flowers.

The Dahlia Arabian Night is a stunner, dark velvet perfection.

Added to this little group is Percy. This Percy is Firetail, Persicaria amplexus Firetail and Verbena bonariensis. I am happy with this little group and hope you like them too. Have a great week and be sure to check out the Monday vases with Cathy at https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/