Six on Saturday: 12/9/20

Tags

Dahlia Bishop of Auckland, dahlia Downham Royal, Dahlias, earthquake, Grtie the goat, Hedges, sanguisorba canadensis, six on saturday, Verbena bonariensis

Did the earth move? How was it for you? Double entendres, you know the sort: nudge nudge, wink, wink. Well on Tuesday the earth did move.

We had an earthquake which measured 3.6 minor magnitude. The only casualty here was Gertie the goat who toppled off the beam on which she was placed. Poor Gertie.

Goat down.

Joking aside, it has been a strange week but the weather has been improving and people are mentioning an Indian summer. My six on Saturday to share with you and The Propagator are some of the prettier sights of the week.

Drifts of self sown Verbena

I realise, as I stroll around, that Verbena bonariensis is one of my must have plants. I love its vibrant purple colour and its tall swaying stems which bring butterflies into the garden.

Californian poppies

This is a second flush of Eschscholzia. A packet of seeds are such good value. I love their warming orange colour against green and purple of the verbena and nepeta.

Dahlia Bishop of Auckland

Dahlias are super at this time of year. They might be a bit of a faff, all the lifting, storing, mollycoddling but catching the rays like this, they are unbeatable.

Dahlia Downham Royal

Clipped hedge and topiary

This is a good time for clipping hedges to get them neat and tidy for the winter months. When everything else is bare and brown the structure of these are the backbone of the garden. It is a busy time of year and this trimming is worth the effort.

Hedges

I am enjoying the combination of Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle below the mega growing Vitis coignetiae.

Vitis and Hydrangea

Finally, before the clock strikes midnight and is no longer Saturday my last fave from this week is Sanguisorba canadensis.

Sanguisorba

I hope you’re having a lovely weekend, wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: Spring is out there

Tags

Anthriscus sylvestris, Barn Owl, cow parsley, February2020, Hedges, Iris reticulata, mixed variety hellebores, Narcissus 'Tete a Tete', Primula vulgaris, six on saturday, storm Dennis, Winter weather

Dorris has had to take a back seat as my free time has been given elsewhere. I began a Six for last Saturday, without finishing, some of which are here now plus one or two others which have appeared despite the incessant winds, rain and snow.

Smattering of snow Thursday

At work I and my colleagues have undertaken the task of removing a dying and in places dead, hedge of Leylandii.

Planted as a wind break the hedges were kept tightly cut. Now removed they have been replaced with Taxus baccata, Yew.

Thankfully the hedge was not wholly all Leylandii. Inter planted between Buxus, here are the Yews in their new places.   Dennis has thrown his best and worse and I am pleased to confirm that they are still standing.

Other sightings to share are the signs of Spring

Tête-à-tête with cow parsley foliage

Iris reticulata

Primroses

Hellebores

It has been disgustingly wet weather, for what now seems like forever.  Despite this I did manage a walk this week across saturated ground where I caught sight of a white bird in flight. Its flight pattern caught my eye and to my surprise I realised that it was a Barn Owl.  For several minutes my friend and I watched in awe as the owl flew, seemingly effortlessly, across the field, hunting. I have only ever seen an owl fleetingly picked out by my car headlights.  Never have I had the privilege of watching an owl in broad daylight.  Alas my phone camera could not capture the sight well.

 

These are my Six on Saturday  

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

Please now wash your hands. 

Garden visits to inspire

Tags

'Waiting Hounds' Andreas Heumann, Ascott house, bedding plant schemes, Euonymous Emerald and Gold, Euonymous Gaiety, Hedges, Ingo Maurer, Meadow, meadow.Fritillaria meleagris, National Trust, Waddesdon Manor

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Waddesdon Manor and Ascott House in the space of one week.  I have visited Waddesdon many times yet, as it is so vast, each time your eye catches something you have not noticed before.  The bedding schemes are not my cup of tea at all however I do appreciate their show stopping, look at me, bling.

After I visit anywhere I do often think ‘so what would I bring home with me, or what idea could I incorporate in my garden?’

At Waddesdon Manor, originally built as a party house for the Rothschild family, there is little to imagine anyone could copy in a normal domestic situation.  Yet I did think that the edging to the bedding schemes could be used in place of Box for anyone wanting an evergreen edge.  The combination I believe is Euonymous Emerald and Gold and Euonymous Emerald Gaiety.

Personally I love the way that they have trained the ivy around the stone wall of the building.  So smart.

As to what would I bring home? Well it would actually be either of the following treasures in the House:

A photographic print of the dogs entitled ‘Waiting Hounds’ by Andreas Heumann

or the completely bonkers chandelier by Ingo Maurer.  This was commissioned by the family and to me is reminiscent of a Mad Hatters Tea Party which has gone wrong.

Ascott House near Wing was recommended to me by several people who had said the gardens were worth a look.  The gardens are open on selected days in the year and this May under the NGS yellow book scheme.  I had looked on the website and was completely unprepared for the treasure that it is.  Another joint National Trust / Rothschild family property.  The house is a half timbered Jacobean building used previously as a hunting lodge, renovated in the 19th Century to house a collection of treasures. 

The garden is vast on an elevated position with the most amazing views out towards the chalk Lion near Whipsnade.  The trees include many stunning examples of Cedar, Copper Beech, and Magnolias, to name just a few.  

The hedges are extraordinary, there are examples of topiary, cloud pruned yew, walls of yew, all cut to exacting standards.  Hedges of variegated Holly, undulating lines of Beech creating avenues to lead to the Lily pond area.

Bedding, cloud pruned yew and topiary to defy gravity.

There are fountains,

there is bedding 

There is a meadow

full of lovelies

and it struck me, how interesting to see two different bedding schemes in the same week.  I think it demonstrates how endless are the possibilities in a garden, thanks to the different ideas of individual garden hands and their owners.

Waddesdon seemed bright and brash but non the less impressive whilst Ascott seemed tasteful, relaxing, inviting.

For me the most wonderful area of the garden was the meadow.  An area of un-mown grass, filled with Pheasants Eye narcissus, numerous varieties of Tulips and those snakes in the grass, Fritillaria meleagris.

The scene was heavenly and it is an idea which I would love to be able to recreate.  Methinks it is probably easier said than done.

If you are at a loose end this weekend may I suggest you take a visit out to one of the many places open to the public and feast your eyes. Enjoy.