In a vase on Monday: pale and hopefully interesting

Tags

Aster, Autumn sunshine, Coreopsis moonbeam, Dahlia Arabian Night, Dahlia mignon.mixed, Fragrant English Rose The Lark Ascending, gourds, Halloween, in a vase on Monday, Miscanthus sinensis

Pale and Interesting

Thanks to the fluffy seed heads of the Miscanthus sinensis Flamingo, Coreopsis moonbeam, white aster and the astoundingly floriferous rose, Lark Ascending, this little group look made for each other.

Pale and interesting

Today is the last day of October and the outside temperature in a sunny spot is a good 16 degrees. Yipee.  By complete contrast the weather is due to take a turn to more seasonal temperatures with a real threat of overnight frost.  With this in mind I have done a second arrangement to use up some of the dahlias. These are all to join Cathy in her weekly meme at https://ramblinginthegarden.wordress.com . A number of bloggers join her on a Monday as it is a joy to look at what is in the garden at close quarters. To take part be sure to include a link back to her blog, to take a look just click on the link. 

Unusually for me I have used a piece of oasis in a tin heart shaped pot, oasis? The sort used by florists.  Easy to use, you just cut it to shape with a knife, shove it in a bowl of water and Bobs your uncle, it’s ready to go.  It is ideal for short stemmed dahlias like these mignons as it supports the heads.  In the photographs, the sunlight has bleached the actual colours slightly, they are stronger than they appear here.

tin of dahlias

As it is Halloween and because many of you seemed to like the knobbly gourds here they are together.

So ugly they are beautiful

Have a great week.

In a vase on Monday: we needed the rain

Tags

Dahlia Arabian Night, dahlia pom-pom, David austin rose, david austin rose Gertrude Jekyll, Fragrant English Rose The Lark Ascending, in a vase on Monday, rain, Sanguisorba officinalis 'Red Thunder'

It is a wet Monday morning here and the flowers have taken a bashing.  Roses are flowering again and dahlias are in full flow. The petals of the roses are slightly bruised.

There is Lark Ascending, Gertrude Jekyll and an unknown very pale pink, almost white rose. It has a delicious rose scent and a delicate appearance which is endearing but it does seem to drop its petals rather quickly.

I have added Sanguisorba as contrast to the soft petals and because I love them. The scent is room filling and rather wonderful. 

Then there are the tiny dahlias. I have picked the small dark pom-poms and Arabian Night. There is a couple of the pink Cosmos and Sanguisorba. A miniature bunch suited to the tiny vase which belonged to Heather, much missed.  

We needed the rain.  So if you have a bunch of flowers to pick in your garden why not bring them inside and share the image with Cathy the host of this meme.  https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com   Be sure to send a link back to her site.  Have a good week.

Gunnera

Tags

A Shropshire Lad rose, david austin rose Gertrude Jekyll, David Austin Roses, EBay, Fragrant English Rose The Lark Ascending, Gunnera manicata, The Beth Chatto Gardens

I have never been terribly interested in on-line shopping. I could never imagine how you could choose anything without first seeing or feeling it; how would I know if it will fit, how would I know if it’s the real thing. I do of course make use of that website which shall remain nameless here, for books and music and I do feel almost ashamed of that as I know too well that it is putting bookshops and record shops out of business.  Oh and I find that family retailer/ department store, you know the one where all staff are partners, provides a great service in that I can order and they will deliver free of charge almost next day. Well reader I have changed my mind, I can now see the merits of on-line shopping, for PLANTS!

I took delivery of three David Austin Roses, The Lark Ascending which were sent as a gift from my now Canadian resident chum. They were packaged really well and looked good strong specimens.  They were planted a few weeks ago and they are going so well that I have ordered some more: 6 x Gertrude Jekyll and 3 A Shropshire Lad as bare root plants direct from David Austin. This was so much better than trawling round garden centres to see if they are in stock and then paying a full price for the fact that they are in shop which has a cafe and ornaments for sale.

Then I decided I wanted to have a Gunnera manicata for planting by the ditch. Having never seen one for sale, although that is probably because I was not looking, however, none the less, I decided to look on-line.
This little beauty was from EBay!

It arrived this morning in a self made cardboard box and wrapped in newspaper. It is fresh and healthy and I hope it will like its new home enough to grow and grow and grow into one of those enormous prehistoric beauties I once saw at the wonderful and inspiring damp garden of The Beth Chatto gardens, http://www.bethchatto.co.uk  If you have never been to visit the garden at Elmstead Market near Colchester, I recommend it as a ‘must-see’.

I will keep you posted on progress of the Gunn. Any tips, do let me know.  I would also really like to hear if you have had any great on-line garden/ plant purchases.

Dorris

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.