Goodbye April, hello May

Tags

Acer, April, cerinthe, friday flowers, Hornbeam, perennial poppies.papaver Patty’s Plum, Spring, Tulip Ballerina, tulip Brown Sugar, tulips

April collage

I cannot believe April has been and gone. The tulips came and thrilled me with their vibrant colours. The emerging foliage of Hornbeam all pleated and fresh never looked so good, well not since it looked so good this time, last year.

Cerinthe has emerged from the ground. Self sown and so very striking. Such an exquisite plant, flower and foliage so interesting and different.

Still emerging and opening into May are the perennial poppies. Patty’s Plum is still looking like crushed velvet or crumpled tissue paper.

April gave us some beautiful weather this year. Blue skies against the blood red foliage of the Acer was astonishingly striking.

Violas and mint to dress a birthday cake for daughter Dorris. Another year older. Best she start lying about her age as I cannot possibly have a 24 year old daughter !

Have a good weekend wherever you are. Thanks for reading. D.

Friday fancies

Tags

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

Flowers on the Cercis canadensis

And cobwebs

Friday faffing: orchid

Tags

friday flowers, house plants, Liberty Rose Vintage, orchid, Thank goodness it's Friday, Wendover

Orchids, once the preserve of the connoisseur, the eccentric or the rich are now positively commonplace thanks to the supermarkets. As a consequence I feel a little nonplussed about them yet really I should be delighted as they have become readily available and relatively affordable.

Perhaps it is because they are available with the baked beans and the cornflakes, just stick it in the trolley with the weekly shop that Orchids no longer feel “special”. Or maybe it is because they are available in every conceivable colour, including vivid blue, that they no longer seem special or exquisite.

This one has been in the house for a couple or three weeks. It was a gift from cousin Julie and I really am enjoying it. I think perhaps it is the stripes which are visible on both sides of the petal and the rather interesting colour combination that is holding my interest.

The roots are usually in clear plastic pots as they need some natural light. I found this rather nice, clear glass, fat (jam pot shaped) vessel, which I think suits it rather well. Should you find yourself in Wendover, pop into the courtyard to see Liberty Rose Vintage. Failing that look at her Instagram page of the same name.

So what do you think about orchids? Love them or loathe them? D.

Friday flowers

Tags

commercially grown white rose, cut glass creamer, December, friday flowers, garden magazine, ivy berries, Kenji Toma, mistletoe berries, periodical, Rakes Progress

Unlike Cathy I did not manage to be organised enough to prepare a blog post sharing my in a Vase on Monday on Christmas Day. I hope you all had a lovely day wherever you were.

I did have a little offering of a shop bought white rose, (I saved one for myself, thanks Mo) a few white buds of mistletoe, some greenery and big fat black ivy berries.

Placed in a cut glass creamer it was a token for the Christmas table along with two pots of white cyclamen.

They worked well as there is something annoying about anything taller where you have to duck round to see the person opposite. Or maybe that can be useful.

As I write this post I am having a quiet day catching up on household chores and saving an hour with my cup of tea to read through my neglected issue of Rakes Progress.

Cover photograph by Kenji Toma.

This is an excellent Quarterly which I signed up for at the Chelsea Flower Show. I guess I would describe it as the horticultural equivalent of Cereal Magazine in terms of presentation and quality of photography.

Within this issue, number 6, there are articles on indoor gardens and honesty sheds, the ancient Indian city of perfume and America’s original land artist Agnes Denes, freediving grandmothers and catwalk florists, plus stick weavers, kokedama, kosher cooks and Milton Keynes. Quite a crop to keep the reader going until the snowdrops appear. I encourage you to seek out a copy for a truly original and refreshing look at all things horticulture related.

Thank goodness it’s Friday: pink

Tags

bougainvillea, friday flowers, garden lantern, Moroccan influences, pink

Not much to say to you, rather I thought you might like to see something pink. 

Fallen petal. Actually not a petal but a bract. Bougainvillea and shadows. 

Moroccan influence is everywhere here in Andalucia. Pretty pink glass in this lantern. 

Strange fan shaped pink plant. I have absolutely no idea what this is. 

Pretty. 

Do tell me if you know what the weird pink fan plant is. D.

Thank goodness it’s Friday: Loving the Seseli

Tags

friday flowers, hardy perennial, lace like umbels, Seseli montanum

A random post about a plant I love. 

This is a hardy perennial with dark feathery foliage and white umbels with plum tones. Low growing to a mere 24cm, I think it is exquisite. 

That’s it, nothing else to say except it likes a sunny spot. 

Friday flowers: Patty’s plum

Tags

friday flowers, Papaver orientale Patty's Plum

I love it when these poppies open. Petals resembling faded, washed silk. 

Exquisite. 

Wishing you all a good weekend. D.

Friday flowers: tulips are coming

Tags

friday flowers, sarah Raven, Spring flowers, tulips

A bunch of tulip bulbs were planted in the Autumn, lasagne style. 

I am not able to refer to my notes today so I am unable to confirm the variety of tulip. I am liking how the colour tone sits with the terracotta. Certainly they are a range from Sarah Raven, the Graceland tulip collection perhaps. 

Tip toe through the tulips time, enjoy.  D.

Friday : bonus

Tags

anemone nemorosa, friday flowers, Wood anemone

A walk with a friend is always nice especially when it is someone you haven’t seen in a while and the weather is nice. Despite setting off in drizzle the sun broke through momentarily. Dry and bright enough for the wood anemones to open. 

I love to see these delicate little flowers.

Have a good day. D.

Friday flowers

Tags

David Austin Roses, delft blue vase, friday flowers, Gertrude Jekyll, Lark Ascending, shropshire lad