Six on Saturday: 5/9/20

Tags

Aeonium atropurpureum cristata, Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, crimson glory vine, Geranium 'Ann folkard', molinia Transparent, ornamental gourds, rose a shropshire lad, Sedum Autumn joy, so x on saturday, stipa tenuissima, Vitis coignetiae

I have had little time in my garden of late, for various reasons including the inclement weather. I had moved my Aeoniums and species pelargoniums out of the worst of the weather into the shelter of the summer house but had not had opportunity to move them back out into the open. In just a couple of weeks the foliage has changed. My six to share with you and The Propagator include these.

Aeoniums back in the open air

It fascinates me how the lower light levels quickly change the black foliage back to green. Plants are so cool. If you look at the tiny rosettes of Aeonium atropurpureum cristata, front right above and centre below you will see how the once almost completely black rosettes are now green with black edges. Hopefully they will have time to revert to black before they come in the house for Winter.

Aeoniums on 19 August

Foliage is beginning to show seasonal change. This is my small blossom tree

Showing distinct Autumnal foliage matching last nights sky.

Night sky over the barn roof

The foliage of Crimson Glory vine is not crimson yet but it is definitely turning.

Vitis coignetiae

Thoughtful colleagues have dropped a trug of produce to me . These squashes are grown from seed and are ornamental gourds. Stunning in this mornings light.

A blast of sunlight

Ornamental gourds

September is when the grasses come into their own. Calamagrostis, stipas, Molinias all have a place in my garden.

Stipa tenuissima

Molinia Transparent

Calamagrostis Karl Foerster

These all tolerate my very exposed garden and do not need staking. They capture the low level autumn light unlike any other plant. If you don’t have any grasses, I highly recommend them.

Finally, flowers. Flowers still going are roses, dahlias, rudbeckias and Seseli as well as Asters and the reddening flowers of ice plant, formerly known as Sedum.

Formerly known as Sedum Autumn Joy

Rose a Shropshire Lad

Geranium Ann Folkard

Geraniums were cut back hard about a month ago and are flowering again.

These are my six this evening. Have a good weekend wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

In a vase on Monday: small

Tags

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, in a vase on Monday, Miscanthus sinensis, November, rhei radix pulveratum, Rudbeckia fulgida, Verbena hastata

Cathy invited us to join her today, her sixth year as host of in a vase. Well done Cathy.  The criteria today is six inches, tiny!

I started like this with Calamagrostis and miscanthus seed heads and added verbena and Rudbeckia. The light on my desk was ok but not as good as on the hearth of the fireplace.

A bit of shortening and rearranging gave me this to share:

A Japanese micro pot with Miscanthus sinensis, Calamagrostis, Verbena hastata and a single seed head from Rudbeckia lacinata.

Thank you for hosting Cathy. I have no idea how you find the time each Monday. Taking part makes us inspect and enjoy our garden in a different way and it is thoroughly enjoyable.

Thanks for reading and have a good week 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.

In a vase on Monday: golden brown

Tags

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, golden light, hydrangea arborescens Annabelle, Hydrangea paniculata limelight, in a vase on Monday, January, Miscanthus sinensis, pine cones, Verbena bonariensis

The overhead lighting is casting a rather yellow light over today’s collection of seed and flower heads.

There is a crispness to their texture and a fragility which requires a very light touch.

The fluff of the seed heads of the Miscanthus are so delicate, light as a feather, perfect for catching a breeze and dispersing.

The pine cones are from my friends garden from her so called 100 acre wood tree. The tiny flower is from the Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle. The metal pot with holes is from a shop in Suffolk and I thought it might make a rather good pot for a cactus or succulent.

What can you find in your garden to share this Monday? See Cathy’s blog. Cathy hosts this immensely enjoyable and popular post.

Just the tonic for a Monday. D.

Tuesday view: 29 November 2016 sharing on December 1

Tags

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, coreopsis moonshine, Eupatorium Elin, ewes, frost, molinia Transparent, Stipa gigantea, Tuesday View

Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ and Eupatorium ‘Elin’

Cold.  Minus six degrees. The ground is rock hard and the plants are showing a crust of white ice.  The sunrise cast a rather golden light.

Molinia ‘Transparent’, Stipa Gigantea and Coreopsis ‘Sunbeam’

I am enjoying the golden tones of the grasses and the backdrop form of the Horse Chestnut trees. This weather is I understand the coldest snap for six years. It looks rather beautiful but boy it is cold. My neighbours are sporting their thick woolly jumpers.

No jacket required

Cathy at https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com hosts the Tuesday View meme.  Do take a look at her lovely blog.

Tuesday View: 9 August 2016

Tags

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, Echinacea purpurea, Echinops bannaticus Taplow Blue, eupatorium, Joe pie weed, Thalictrum Elin, Tuesday View, Verbena bonariensis

Morning view with bright sunlight

 

I have not managed to update my Tuesday view for a couple of weeks and the main difference seems to be the bleaching of the grass Calamagrostis Karl Foerster.

Calamagrostis Karl Foerster

 

The Tuesday View is hosted by Cathy at https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com It is a meme for us to watch and share the development and seasonal changes to an area in the garden.  If you would like to join in please be sure to add a link back to Cathys blog.

Eupatorium, Joe pie weed is now showing its full colour and has reached a height of about 1.5m.  I have had to water it the last few weeks as it shows droopy leaves when it begins to dry out.

Joe pie weed with Echinops and Karl Foerster

Flowers of the Joe pie weed mingle with Verbena, Thalictrum elin towers above

The purple of Joe pie sits happily with the ever delightful Verbena Bonariensis. The Verbena has self sown itself around the beds and is suggesting a take over bid.  The magnificent Thalictrum Elin has finished flowering and its remains tower above.

Echinacea purpurea

Since last time I posted the Echinacea has opened its petals to reveal its lovely form.  I love a daisy shape flower, don’t you?

The forecast remains pretty good for this week so I hope you get a minute to sit in your own garden and feel the grass tickle your toes.  One final thing I must show you, not in this view but in the garden cutting beds.

Lily

The scent of this Lily is so powerful I bet you can almost smell it.

 

 

Tuesday view 19 July 2016

Tags

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, cobwebs in the foliage, Echinops bannaticus Taplow Blue, Eupatorium purpureum, Golden Oats., Joe pie weed, Stipa gigantea, Tuesday View

Today is unusually hot at about 32 degrees. Lovely if you have the sea to look at, less so elsewhere. My view is not of the sea but of the garden border. To help cool you down I have decided to share the pictures I took yesterday morning as they are soft and hazy and misty.

A view of a web

The flower heads are forming on the Eupatorium but I have noticed that the leaves are drooping today in the heat, better give him a can of water later. (Must be a him? joe pie weed).

The golden oats of Stipa gigantea are really golden now, such a great plant if space allows.

Golden Oats

Calamagrostis Karl Foerster is also looking good, upright with burgundy seed heads. I have had to stake a couple of them this year as they took a battering by the high winds a couple of weeks ago.

gentle colours

a haze of soft colour thanks to the pink Achillea

Whatever your garden view today you can pop along to Cathys blog and share it with us.  https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com as she is hosting the ‘Tuesday View’

In a vase on Monday: fewer fleurs

Tags

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, in a vase on Monday, Miscanthus sinensis malepartus, molinia Transparent, rhei radix pulveratum

Here we are, mid November, still finding things for the vase as part of Cathy’s meme.

https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2015/11/16/in-a-vase-on-monday-you-have-to-hand-it-to-the-little-pinkies

My pickings are getting harder to find yet for mid November, it is extraordinary to have any flowers, let alone roses.

I have picked the much used ‘Lark Ascending” rose with some of the orange toned Molinia ‘Transparent”. The colours work so well together . By contrast Calamagrostis xacutiflora Karl Foerster looks bleached and stiff.

l

Miscanthus sinensis malepartus is pleasingly fluffy.

The rose has masses of buds but with imminent cold weather (surely) I am not anticipating them having the chance to open. The old enamel labelled bottle is made of orange/brown glass and compliments today’s colours. The earlier contents of the jar,? rhei radix pulveratum a herbal remedy for constipation was absent from the jar by the time I was given it.

l

That’s a relief then.
Have a good week and let’s hope it dries up soon.