Six on Saturday: 23/5/20

Tags

Allium siculum, bearded iris, David Austin Roses, Erigeron karvinskianus, Hosta Big Daddy, Hosta Sum and Substance, Iris Midnight Caller, Mexican fleabane, Nectarscordium siculum, Rose 'Gertrude Jekyll', Sicilian honey garlic, six on saturday, weather, woottensplants.com

The weather. May is proving to be a tough month weather wise. Nighttime frosts followed by hot dry summer days and now winds of 19mph. The consequences can be seen all over: new foliage which was burned by the frost has now dried and died back. Damage is on most things from the tips of the Ash trees to shrubs, roses and iris. I have started watering as if it is mid July and this morning I have dragged hostas into the garage to give them shelter from the battering wind.

I especially hate the wind. My garden is very exposed as there really is not much more than open fields between it and the Chilterns. Consequently when it blows it really is damaging. My six today starts with my two hostas now cowering in the garage.

Hosta Sum & Substance

These dinner plate sized leaves do not take kindly to 19mph wind. I can see some of the leaves have been bent and this will spoil their handsome form.

Hosta Big Daddy

Now parked under cover Big Daddy is also suffering. The edge of some of it leaves are browning from the wind and from the earlier cold snap.

Not troubled by the heat the cold or the wind is Fleabane. Erigeron Karvinskianus has self sown around the drive, it is everywhere. I do love a daisy so it generally is allowed to stay.

Erigeron

My roses were subjected to standing in water for almost three months this winter into spring. I feared I may have lost them, especially those in the blue clay borders. Phew they have just started flowering. This is the opening Gertrude Jekyll rose. Rich pink with the most heavenly rose scent. It is mega prickly and that is her main failing. No issue with pest or disease a David Austin gem.

Rose Gertrude Jekyll

I love to see Alliums after the Tulips and thankfully they do well in my garden. My favourite is perhaps this one for its hanging lantern flowers which the bees literally disappear into. Allium siculum.

Nectarscordium siculum
Sicilian honey garlic

At the garden where I work the soil is thin over chalk. Free draining, the contrast to my own garden couldn’t be more different. Here I can grow bearded iris as they must have full sun and sharp drainage. The Iris are looking fabulous this year thanks to a great deal of splitting and dividing last year. The pale ones look extra special thanks to the addition of the near black Iris Midnight Caller from Woottens nursery, a specialism of theirs.

These are my six for this week. Joining our host The Propagator and bloggers from all over.

Have a great long weekend, stay home, stay safe and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: win some, lose some 16 May 20

Tags

Aquilegias, Cercis candanensis, crimson glory vine, David Austin Roses, digitalis, fig, fiscus Brown Turkey, Forest pansy, foxgloves, frost damage, Rose Morning Mist, six on saturday, Vitis coignetiae

We had overnight surface frosts this week. Darn it. Some plants sadly have lost their new foliage and are looking a tad sick and sorry. My six this week share those plus a couple of better sights. Joining The Propagator and others from around the globe with my six this Saturday.

Rose ‘Morning Mist’

A single rose with a gentle rose scent

This rose, a David Austin climber is against a south facing wall and has got away unharmed. So far, so lovely.

Foxgloves have started to open. Digitalis purpurea. Common as they come, they are tough and appear to have shrugged off the cold without a second glance. I rather like these against the backdrop of the Acer palmatum and Sambucus niger.

Aquilegias

These Aquilegias are undeterred by the cold. They are continuing to open their bonnets and I love seeing their long ‘straps’ behind them.

Now for the ugly. Brace.

Here are the baby leaves of the Vitis coignetiae

Not looking either Crimson or glory, this poor vine has taken a hammering.

Then there’s the Forest pansy.

Cercis candanensis

Ouch, that’s got to hurt. New leaves burnt to a black crisp. I hope the damage will not be long term but I am not sure.

Oh fig

This poor thing has turned up its leaves and blackened its fruit. Curtains for fruit this year.

That is my six. Some good, some bad. Have a good week wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

In a vase on Monday: farewell

Tags

Dahlia Bishop of Auckland, David Austin Roses, in a vase on Monday, Rose "Lark Ascending", rose a shropshire lad, rose Brother Cadfael, Rose The Pilgrim

Goodbye

Said the Bishop

Adieu

dear Rose.

Frost has bitten the garden here. Roses which were still happily flowering have been scarred by the cold.

Dahlias in the ground are now black, finished for 2019. I moved my pot grown dahlia under the shelter of the summer house and saved the Bishop of Auckland for a while longer.

Joining Cathy this Monday. Have a good week wherever you are. D.

In a vase on Monday: a little wet

Tags

David Austin Roses, in a vase on Monday, leucanthemella serotina, October, rose a shropshire lad, rose Brother Cadfael

Back to routine today, I picked these around 1645 hrs. In the rain and in what seemed rather a dull, dark and decidedly chilly afternoon, today’s vase is full of flowers but they are showing signs of weather.

Rose a Shropshire Lad is still flowering but is showing rather bruised petal edges thanks to the rain and wind.

Rose Brother Cadfael

This is a new addition, given to me after it had struggled to flower in my friends garden. Thanks Liz, he seems to have decided to flower now the summer is over. A delicious scent overpowers the delicate rose scent from the Shropshire Lad.

Also flowering and fresh as a daisy in October is Leucanthemella serotina a fabulously fresh looking daisy type flower. At over 6ft tall with no staking it is my favourite in the garden right now. The bright eyed amongst you may see that there’s Cosmos cupcake in there as well. It too is flowering like crazy now.

Pink roses and white daisies anyone might think it’s summer. Alas not. I am however happy to be sharing these with you and Cathy our long serving host.

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

In a vase on Monday: sit still

Tags

David Austin Roses, in a vase on Monday, old pharmaceutical bottles, Rose "Lark Ascending", rose a shropshire lad, Rose Morning Mist, September

I picked some roses yesterday before the rain came. I divided them amongst the old bottles I have. Do you remember having photographs taken as a child and people would say ‘sit still, smile’ thereby immediately making it a stressful experience and not all fun.

As I took the pictures this morning the petals began to drop and I found myself saying ‘sit still’.

‘Shropshire Lad’ was well behaved, smiling nicely for the camera. ‘Morning mist’ obliged nicely.

‘Lark Ascending ‘ was dropping it’s petals in front of my eyes. Oh dear. Not a flattering picture, should have sat still.

Joining our host Cathy this Monday.

Have a good week wherever you are. D.

In a vase on Monday: September sweeties

Tags

cornflower, Cosmos cupcake, Dahlia Cafe au Lait, David Austin Roses, in a vase on Monday, Rose "Lark Ascending", Rose 'Gertrude Jekyll', rose a shropshire lad, Sweetpeas, Zinnia Giant Dahlia mix

I have missed joining Cathy and sharing my flowers. The time is just shooting by. Today I have a real mix of flowers, all grown by me at home and at work.

Firstly from home:

Zinnias with Rose Lark Ascending and Rose Gertrude Jekyll. Grown from seed the zinnias are doing well but some of the colours are not so great. They are colours which look a bit dirty, if you know what I mean.

A glass cream jug containing Cosmos cupcake and the last of the cornflowers both grown from seed. I put the two together as their petals have similar edges.

There was just one Rose ‘A Shropshire lad’ so to make him look less lonely, I added more cosmos.

Mixed sweets.

At work I am still picking Sweetpeas.

Their stems are shorter now and the plant is showing signs of powdery mildew so they will not last much longer. This handful are still ok.

Finally , last but not least, is the very popular, dare I say fashionable, Dahlia Cafe au Lait . A bit of a flying saucer but lovely cappuccino colours.

That’s it. Thanks for reading. Have a great week wherever you are. D.

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.

In a Vase on Monday: stripes

Tags

David Austin Roses, Hydrangea arborscens Annabelle, in a vase on Monday, Leucanthemum, October, Rose The Pilgrim, shasta daisies, stripes

Seeking out a spot in direct sunlight first thing, I placed my bottle with flowers on a serviette, not so much because it has stripes but because the green is similar to Hydrangea Annabelle.

As I snapped my pictures on the phone I realised the stripes from the blinds were casting shadows.

The rose is The Pilgrim which has a faint rose scent. Planted next to the shasta daisies, I like how the rose colour picks out the yellow centre of the daisies and blends with the green of the Hydrangea .

So that’s it, my selection on this the 1 October. Joining our host Cathy Have a good day. D.

In a Vase on Monday: in from the cold

Tags

Dahlia William Morris, David Austin Roses, in a vase on Monday, Rose "Lark Ascending", rose a shropshire lad, Verbena bonariensis, Zinnias

The weather this weekend took a distinct dip towards Autumn: dark, rainy with chilly nights prompting discussion about whether it would be ok to turn on the heating, it would not.

Although the rain has moved on and the forecast is for sunshine, those clear skies will bring a risk of frost which will mean farewell to many flowers.

A pick from roses, Zinnias, Verbena and dahlias were available on Saturday.

I used them to brighten the table for dinner.

To sit at a table with freshly cooked food, a major treat for my parents who are camping out with microwave meals as their kitchen is about to be replaced

These are my flowers to join Cathy. Do you have some flowers from your garden to share? Do join us and send a link back to Cathy. D.

In a Vase on Monday: not one but two

Tags

Astrantia major, Dahlia William Morris, David Austin Roses, in a vase on Monday, persicaria affinis, Rose "Lark Ascending", rose a shropshire lad, sweet peas, Verbena bonariensis, Zinnias

I am joining Cathy today with not one but two vases of flowers. My garden has recovered itself after the heatwave and things like Astrantia and Persicaria affinis have reappeared. In addition to these flowering, roses are also having a second show. The later flowering Coreopsis, Dahlias and Zinnias are also flowering.

Front left is my favourite rose Lark Ascending next to it the petal full, pink A Shropshire Lad.

From left is an open Shropshire Lad, pink and lilac sweet peas, no idea which they are, sorry. In the middle is a soft pink Zinnia with Astrantia behind. I am not completely sure which Astrantia this is as it has self sown, to its right is this rose, so pale it is almost white, Gentle Hermione.

By way of contrast the next vase has the Dahlia William Morris, Coreopsis Moonbeam and dark coloured Zinnias.

Added to this group is Verbena bonariensis which is making a bid to take over my garden. Worse things could happen.

Have a great week and do check out Cathy’s blog. The link is above, to see other Monday vases full of flowers from all over. What a nice way to start the week. D.