In a vase on Monday: whether the weather

Tags

Allium Purple Sensation, Anthriscus sylvestris, Aquilegias, cerinthe major purpurascens, columbines, cow parsley, early summer flowers, Geum Totally Tangerine, Hebe hulkeana, Honeywort, in a vase on Monday, Iris Sibirica, New Zealand lilac

In a vase

How glorious the weather was on Friday and Saturday. Clear blue skies, not a breath of wind, balmy temperatures. The lanes around me are quiet and have been since lockdown. No sounds shouting over the birdsong. Bliss. Delivery drivers continuing their work dash through avoiding the numerous cyclists, the regulars in spray-on Lycra, the lockdown cyclists making the most of the quiet lanes, wobbling and weaving two or three abreast.

The chance to enjoy the weather, to sit in the sunshine, to have time to savour the pleasure of a peaceful breakfast outside. This is what summer should be like. If only it would last.

This morning is windy and cool and the forecast is for overnight temperatures falling to 1 degree. This is disappointing. Too cold for the newly emerged seedlings. Potentially burning new foliage and petals.

This vase was picked on Saturday to dress the table outside. Above is the NZ Lilac a delicate lilac colour but without the scent of real lilac. Geum Totally Tangerine is flowering profusely and hopefully it will continue throughout the summer months. A head of Allium Purple Sensation almost a common sight in gardens now but still offers much to be admired.

Iris sibirica

There is a single Iris which I am enjoying very much. The three 1L pots I planted two years ago have clumped up sufficiently for me to snip one or two for a vase. The froth of white is cow parsley. There are purple columbines, Aquilegias. I am pleased to see that this year they have taken themselves to all corners of the garden and are even in the bark chippings between the raised beds.

Cerinthe

The exotic Cerinthe, Honeywort, a rather glaucous and pleasing mix of greens to deep purple, are another favourite of mine. They too have self seeded a short distance from where I originally planted seed.

Now inside the house, these flowers I picked on Saturday are still looking perky. Close up I love the orange of the Geum outshining the yellow of the Iris.

Thank you Cathy for hosting. Have a great 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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