Six on Saturday: 17 October 2020

Tags

aster lateriflorus Lady in Black, Carpinus betulus, cornus midwinter fire, crimson glory vine, Hornbeam, Leucanthemella, parthenocissus quinquefolia, penstemon, six on saturday, Virginia Creeper, Vitis coignetiae

Have you noticed how our gardens this week have become very autumnal thanks to the weather and shorter daylight hours? It is mid October so I suppose it is to be expected yet it seems to have changed almost overnight. Sharing the sights of the garden with you and our host The Propagator

Golden

This impressive display is from Cornus Midwinter Fire, so called I should imagine because it has incredible stems which are the colours of fire, orange through to yellow. These will reveal themselves once the golden leaves drop.

Multicoloured

These multicoloured shades of green to yellow to red are from Vitis coignetiae, crimson Glory vine. The crimson colours are starting to come through and I am hoping it gets time to show before the leaves drop.

Ruby red leaves

This is Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia. This is at the garden where I work. It is a plant which I really dislike for its rampant growth literally meters per season. Self clinging, it leaves dirty sucker marks which are almost impossible to remove over anything in its way including brickwork, paintwork and window panes. High maintenance. When cutting it back I have had a severe reaction to its sap which has left my forearms swollen for a week. Then it changes into this stunning show and all is forgiven. Almost.

Autumn light on the Hornbeam

Hornbeam, Carpinus betulus, is catching the sunlight, illuminating the subtle change from fresh green leaves to a yellowing before turning fully brown. Rather like Beech these leaves will not drop until the spring.

On the opposite side of the path is Aster lateriflorus Lady in Black which is covered in tiny daisies.

Lady in Black

Late to flower these tiny sequins of daisies have only emerged in the last ten days.

White flowers are still shining in the garden, this white penstemon.

Fresh and bright

Nearby the tall daisies of Leucanthemella are still flowering.

White daisies

These are my selection to share with you this week. Have a good weekend wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Tuesday view: 17/1/17

Tags

Asplenium scolopendrium, Carpinus betulus, Geum "Mrs Bradshaw", harts tongue fern, hornbeam hedge, Tuesday View

At this time of year the view can be flat and brown but if you look a little more carefully you can spy a little spot, silently doing its thing and looking good in the process. 

Two year old handsome Hornbeam hedge, holding onto its leaves.

Harts tongue fern, evergreen and eagerly soaking up the sunlight today. 

Frosted leaves of the wonderful Geum Mrs Bradshaw. 

I am joining Cathy at wordsandherbs.com where her Tuesday view is under a white blanket of snow and twinkling sweetly. Do take a look at her lovely blog.  

After the incessant rain and dark grey sky yesterday it has been a delight to see the sunshine today. I hope you were able to enjoy  your day. 

Wordless Wednesday: cold

Tags

Carpinus betulus, cold, Coreopsis moonbeam, Eupatorium Elin, Hornbeam, Joe pye weed, wordless wednesday

 

Hornbeam, Carpinus betulus

Joe-pye weed, Eupatorium ‘Elin’

Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’

Green

Tags

Carpinus betulus, Hornbeam, pleated leaves, Red veined sorrel, Spring garden

The light levels may be rising even if the temperatures are not, we had snow flurries here today.  The garden is beginning to pull away and I thought I would share a couple of pictures from this morning.

There is a delightful freshness to the various shades of green.

Tiny pleated leaves courtesey of the year old Hornbeam  ‘hedge.’

Red veined Sorrel

The light captured the red vein marking of the SorreI leaves.

I hope you had a good day.

I’ve been thinking………

Tags

Carpinus betulus, Cornus alba Elegantissima, Cornus alba sibirica, Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire', davidaustinroses.com, Dogwoods, Fragrant English Rose The Lark Ascending, Hornbeam, Rubus cockburnianus, white stemmed bramble

The garden is now blank, following many weekends of clearing.  It is not a garden at all really as it is devoid of shrubs, flowers or bulbs. Yet in my mind, it is full of my favourite shrubs, grasses, perennials and bulbs and, on a warm day, it has colour, scent and movement.

So where to start?

Back of an envelope type plans were scribbled to start the process, before the scale drawing started.  From this point the ground plan was drawn to scale and then the grass was marked out.

The turf was lifted, then the soil was turned over by digger, pending planting in the Spring.

Carpinus betulus, Hornbeam whips have been planted and will become a hedge.  The hedge will become a green wall for the birds to shelter in and for a bench to back up against.  A quiet spot to read a book or share a cup of tea perhaps. Rather hard to imagine, I admit.

There are dogwoods to plant.  I have chosen a combination of Cornus alba Elegantissima, the silver variegated dogwood, Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ and the red stemmed dogwood, Cornus alba ‘ Sibirica’. I have also added a white stemmed bramble, Rubus cockburnianus to the group.  They may not look much now but they will eventually create a large curve of colour for the drab Winter months and a natural screen to block out the roadside.

There are lists of must have plants, yet to be organised into a planting plan proper.

There are roses.  How fantastic to take delivery of, not one, but three, David Austin Roses. Thank you Gail and Neil.   ‘The Lark Ascending’ is not familiar to me, although the piece of music after which it is named, is!  The website davidaustinroses.com tells me that The Lark Ascending will have cupped, medium sized blooms in a light apricot colour.  It is repeat flowering, has a tall airy growth and a light fragrance. How exciting.

So that is where I have got to.  Lots of plans.  A planting plan to draw up. A bucket full of seeds to start off, as clearly there is going to be room for lots and lots of annuals. Whilst the weather is freezing and the ground too hard to work outside, I need to get on with the plan and make that list.

If you have any must have plants that you think I should include, do let me know. The site is North facing but remains in sunshine most of the day thanks to the open position. The soil is flinty with clay patches. D.