Six on Saturday: 21/11/21

Tags

Allium sphaerocephalon, buxus sempervivums, Calamagrostis brachytricha, Cercis canadensis, Forest pansy, Hornbeam, hydrangea arborescens Annabelle, Leucanthemella, six on saturday, stipa tenuissima, topiary box, tulips

Have you noticed how brown things have turned? My six today are mainly all a bit brown.

Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle

Starting with these, the remains of Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle, my first of the six I have to share with you and our host The Propagator .

As the ball heads dry out, they become delicate to the touch with a slight rustle to their sound. Gone may be the creamy lime green of summer but beautiful nonetheless. Last year I cut and then touched some of the flower heads with gold spray to make Christmas decorations. I thought they were rather pretty.

Hornbeam

The hedges of Hornbeam have taken on their winter form, curled brown leaves, crisp and pleated will remain throughout the winter before shedding in spring as the leaf buds begin to swell.

Leucanthemella

The daisies of Leucanthemella which I love so much have lost their fresh as a daisy look and are beginning an elegant shift into decay. The flower heads are dark brown, almost black, slightly bowed and the foliage is slowly fading from green to brown. The stems are holding up well and I shall leave them throughout winter to act as shelter for creatures and insects.

Cercis canadensis

The glorious red heart shape leaves of the forest pansy have gone. Dropped and bagged up with other leaf litter. All that is left is the bare, so bare branches of the tree. That is it until spring. Underneath, a mixed bag of 30 orange and yellow tulips have been planted, along with 25 Allium Sphaerocephalon, the burgundy drumstick allium.

Leucanthemella stems, box shape Box all mulched.

Not brown at all are the evergreen Box. Slowly growing and slowly beginning to take on the square form I am looking for. Topiary takes time, lots of time. Eventually these box shapes will create strong winter structure. What can I say, they’re getting there.

Golden brown Stipa tenuissima and Calamagrostis Brachytricha

I am slowly working my way around the raised beds, bulb planting, weeding and mulching, topping up the bark chippings on the pathway. These grasses are energised by a breeze and arguably look interesting all year round. A lighter shade of golden brown.

These are my six for this week. I hope you have a good weekend and thanks for reading wherever you are. D.

In a vase on Monday: pancake flat

Tags

Acer, Autumn, autumn leaves, Cercis canadensis, Forest pansy, in a vase on Monday, japanese maple, RHS Harlow Carr

This Monday I wanted to share something a little different with you and Cathy. Our host Cathy asks us to bring something in from the garden to enjoy close up. I am taking this a bit further in that I have collected pretty things and then flattened them in a heavy book.

Autumn leaves

These were collected on a walk around RHS Harlow Carr plus three of my favourite leaves from my Forest Pansy.

No chance of putting them in a vase but I hope you will agree they are pretty enough to warrant including them here.

I hope you have a good week wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: 7/11/20

Tags

Aster, aster lateriflorus Lady in Black, Autumn, Cercis canadensis, David Austin Roses, Forest pansy, frost, penstemon garnet, rose Brother Cadfael, six on saturday, tree work

Here we are, blogging from the confines of the second Lockdown, sharing our six from our gardens with you and our host The Propagator

We have had a couple of proper frosts this week and the garden has dropped leaves, the dahlias have blackened. Last week I shared Harlow Carr with you, this week I am back in my own garden, observing the last gasps of Autumn.

Penstemon Garnet

Penstemon are borderline hardy in my heavy clay soil. These are growing in a raised bed to aid drainage and here they thrive. The richness of the jewel like colour is a tonic on grey days of Autumn. I do not dead head these, or tidy them up for winter. I leave all the top growth, no matter how unsightly they become, only cutting back once new growth is emerging and the frost risk has passed. As extra security I take a few cuttings which usually strike very easily.

Aster lateriflorus Lady in Black

I planted a row of these asters to form an informal edge to the path. By midsummer the foliage is dark, almost black and looks strikingly handsome, repeating the darker foliage of Cercis canadensis and Sambucus Black Lace nearby. By Late Autumn they open zillions of tiny daisy like asters , creating a haze of flowers. A real sight when everything else is bowing out.

Aster lateriflorus Lady in Black

I mention the Forest Pansy so often I realise and that is because it gives such beauty. Here it is again.

Forest Pansy detail

Forest Pansy Cercis canadensis

Gardens are beginning to take on their winter scene and it is a good time to asses the parts you might want to change.

Garden scene

There are leaves to clear, roses to prune to protect against wind rock which is a big concern on my exposed garden. There are still roses but now the frost has touched them I shall prune them hard.

Rose Brother Cadfael earlier this week

Lastly I will share some Autumn images taken at the garden where I work. Tree work has begun and on milder days mulching is order of the day.

Tree work can begin.

I hope you can have a great weekend in your garden wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Wordless Wednesday: 4/11/20 first frost

Tags

Cercis canadensis, David Austin Roses, Forest pansy, frost, garden view, rose Brother Cadfael, wordless wednesday

Rose Brother Cadfael

Cercis canadensis

Morning light

Six on Saturday: 15/8/20

Tags

Catalpa bignoides pulverulenta, Cercis canadensis, Eupatorium Black stockings, Forest pansy, hornbeam hedge, indian bean tree, Philadelphus coronarius aurea, rose a shropshire lad, Sambucus Nigra Black Lace, six on saturday, Verbena bonariensis, Viburnum bodnantense dawn, weeping willow

Saturday greetings from me to you. The weather these last few days frankly has been as extraordinary as these pandemic times we are living in. The deluge this morning has left a steaming mist this afternoon and those temperatures earlier in the week seem almost imaginary. My six, as a consequence of today’s weather. are images of the garden taken on Thursday.

Across the garden, verbena bonariensis has taken over as shown above. I love it. I love it’s tall wafting nature, its colour and I don’t mind it at the front of a border even if it has chosen the spot.

The funny thing with this image is that I look it and see the Hornbeam hedge needs cutting back into shape. It’s like a visual to do list for me.

This image of the path back up the garden shows what I mean about the verbena and today you need the secateurs to cut your way through. The claret foliage at the top of the path is from my beloved Cercis canadensis. This image shows me not only how big it is getting but how much I will need to prune back. There’s barely room to sit at the table.

Looking across the border to the path and table I like how much the Cercis shields the sitter from the rest of the garden but within reason of course. I am pleased with the colour mix of the pink rose a Shropshire Lad next to the variegated foliage of Catalpa pulverulentum and yes the Hornbeam definitely needs cutting back. I also need to take a bit off the viburnum bodnantense to the right of the hedge. It too is getting a bit too big.

Looking from the other side across the border to the dark green shrub on the right is the viburnum bodnantense and it really is too tall. Frankly Philadelphus coronarius aurea, Golden mock orange, is also getting too big and needs shaping up a bit. Topiary also needs clipping back to form. Gosh I have a lot to do.

A pleasing combination of the berries and foliage of Sambucus nigra Black Lace with Eupatorium Black stockings. The unopened buds of the flowers look so lovely next to the half eaten berries. The Sambucus will be cut down by about one third in spring to encourage better denser foliage.

Looking through and across the lawn is the borrowed view of the majestic weeping willow belonging to my neighbour. Properly impressive. Nothing for me to do there but to admire.

These are my six. A visual to do list rather than ‘jobs for the weekend ‘. Sharing my six with you and our host The Propagator

Have a great weekend wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Wordless Wednesday: evening light on the Forest pansy

Tags

Cercis canadensis, Forest pansy, wordless wednesday

Cercis canadensis

Forest pansy taking all the seats at the table

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.

Six on Saturday: 2 May 2020

Tags

Allium Purple Sensation, asiatic lilies, buxus, Cercis canadensis, Foeniculum vulgare purpureum, Forest pansy, forget me nots, Hebe hulkeana, May, myosotis sylvatica, New Zealand lilac, Purple fennel, Sambucus Nigra, six on saturday, Sweet cicely, Thalictrum Elin

Forget me not

Do you feel a little bit like I am feeling? I feel as though we didn’t really ‘have’ an April. The days and weeks of lockdown are merging and although we did have some standout weather, we strangely haven’t been anywhere or seen anyone. It might be that May is going to be the same. Weird.

That said, the garden is making rapid progress now. The warm weather, the rain and longer daylight hours are creating a massive growth spurt. If we were going places and seeing people we might have missed the detail of this happening. My six today reflect the changes.

Above is a carpet of forget me nots, drifting across the ground, encircling the box ball ( loosely ball shape). By next week they will need ripping out as they begin to set seed. The space they leave behind will be perfect for annuals.

New Zealand Lilac and fennel

The fennel has doubled in size since last week and the NZ Lilac which is not a lilac at all is starting to open. It has no scent to enjoy which is disappointing but it’s flowers are very pretty.

Sweet cicely, purple cow parsley, flowering Thalictrum and Sambucus

The froth from umbellifers has filled out more. The Thalictrum has opened its pinky flowers and the sweet cicely has opened more flowers. The dark divided foliage of the Sambucus is contrasting in a pleasing fashion with the divided foliage of the the green and white sweet cicely.

Emerging lilies

I really like the dark pointy leaves on the spines of lilies. These flower well each year and are a very very dark maroon lily. On the lookout for the orange lily beetle so far so good.

Alliums are opening offering purple clusters of star shaped flowers to make a globe. They are a splash of interest, a layer of colour after the tulips and before the Hydrangeas flower.

Looking through to the seating area

Looking through the emerging red heart shaped foliage of the Forest Pansy. My favourite shrub/tree. It’s petals dropped in the rain but still the beautiful foliage is emerging.

These are my six for this Saturday joining our host The Propagator and other bloggers from around the globe.

Have a good week wherever you are. Stay safe and thanks for reading. D.

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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Friday fancies

Tags

Cercis canadensis, Colour, favourite things, Forest pansy, friday flowers, pink

Flowers on the Cercis canadensis

And cobwebs