Six on Saturday: 26 September 2020

Tags

Coreopsis verticillata moonbeam, Epimedium x versicolor Sulphureum, Erigeron karvinskianus, Miscanthus sinensis, persicaria affinis, six on saturday, Zinnia Queeny Lime Red

The six I have chosen today are from my favourites this morning. A cool day here, autumnal temperatures and breezy.

Coreopsis Moonbeam

A petite, gentle yellow, flower that appears in a profusion of late season flowers at a time when I have forgotten all about her. She has just started to open amongst the grasses.

Just beginning

Another daisy type that is performing well at this time of the year is Fleabane, Erigeron Karvinskianus. A joyful kind of flower but very promiscuous popping up everywhere. Easy going, shallow rooted so easy to remove although I cannot imagine why you would ever want to.

Erigeron karvinskianus

Ground cover for poor ground is this dwarf Persicaria affinis. There is nothing small about it other than its height as it spreads itself and carpets an area very effectively. These flower from spring through to the frosts with lovely little candy tufts of pale pinks through to red.

Persicaria affinis

Another attractive ground covering plant this is suited to part shade : Epimedium x versicolor Sulphureum is looking fresh for this time of year . Such a lovely leaf shape and markings.

Epimedium x versicolor Sulphureum

Miscanthus sinensis

The grasses are looking great and glamorous at this time of year. Clumps of Miscanthus are bulking up and swishing in the wind.

Last and by no means least is Zinnia Queeny Lime Red. To be frank she’s not Lime nor is she a Queen but still quite nice. Grown from Thompson &Morgan seed.

Zinnia Queeny Lime Red

That’s it, my six to share with our host The Propagator and you of course.

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

o

Six on Saturday: a welcome surprise

Tags

Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora, frost, Hornbeam hedges, January, Lonicera fragrantissima, Miscanthus sinensis, six on saturday, Viburnum bodnantense dawn, Viola odorata, white Foxgloves, Winter garden

The surprise is the weather of course. Sunshine and frost this morning, such a welcome sight after what seems like months of rain and grey skies and general bleh. My garden is holding water in small padding pools. I am trying hard, not allowing myself to stress about what the saturated clay is doing to my plants but horror stories keep popping in to my mind.

Not today. No, today I treated myself to some primulas to brighten a few bare patches. I walked around the garden, keeping off the squelching lawns, off the borders, stretching this way and that to reach closer to the sources of scent.

These are my Six:

Viburnum bodnantense Dawn

A quite vigorous, woody shrub, which sprouts out beautiful pink flowers in midwinter. Tiny multiples of flowers pump out a sweet scent in the sunshine.

This is one shrub I would always want in a garden.

Foxglove foliage dusted with frost.

I am hoping these will flower this year and will give me white spires. Digitalis purpurea f.albiflora

Foxgloves are such accommodating plants, suited to deep shade and to sun. They really will grow on any type of soil. I prefer the white form for its crisp contrast between white and green, finding the pink version a rather dirty pink. Highly poisonous if ingested, otherwise I would recommend them everywhere and anywhere.

Handsome Hornbeam

Hedges of Hornbeam are another of my favourite sights. Midwinter and the hedges are still retaining their foliage. Curled and pleated and a rich brown colour. The hedge provides shelter to garden birds.

Sunlight and Miscanthus

Backlit, I am reminded why I love Miscanthus sinensis so much. This particular one was new this autumn and is currently in a pot. I shall be transferring it into the ground once things dry out a bit.

More winter scent

This is winter Honeysuckle Lonicera Fragrantissima. Another woody shrub which bursts into flower in winter. The scent wafts on the air pulling the passerby in close. It too does not seem to be put off by the wet soil.

White flowers

These Violas are eye catching even in the low light levels of winter. They also are scented but you need to get very close to detect their aroma. Such sweet flowers, great performers and worth a couple of quid of anyone’s money. Winter bedding.

These are my six, joining The Propagator and gardeners from around the globe, sharing my six favourites in my garden right now. Do join in, we would love to see what’s in your garden too.

Enjoy your weekend, wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

In a vase on Monday: small

Tags

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, in a vase on Monday, Miscanthus sinensis, November, rhei radix pulveratum, Rudbeckia fulgida, Verbena hastata

Cathy invited us to join her today, her sixth year as host of in a vase. Well done Cathy.  The criteria today is six inches, tiny!

I started like this with Calamagrostis and miscanthus seed heads and added verbena and Rudbeckia. The light on my desk was ok but not as good as on the hearth of the fireplace.

A bit of shortening and rearranging gave me this to share:

A Japanese micro pot with Miscanthus sinensis, Calamagrostis, Verbena hastata and a single seed head from Rudbeckia lacinata.

Thank you for hosting Cathy. I have no idea how you find the time each Monday. Taking part makes us inspect and enjoy our garden in a different way and it is thoroughly enjoyable.

Thanks for reading and have a good week wherever you are. D.

In a vase on Monday: welcome

Tags

Aster, Calamagrostis brachytricha, Hydrangea arborescens, in a vase on Monday, Miscanthus sinensis, September, Verbena bonariensis

A vase full of garden flowers to welcome U3A Haddenham to my garden this afternoon. All 26 of them.

Aster, Verbena bonariensis, Miscanthus , Cosmos, Hydrangea arborescens pink Annabelle not yet pink.

Their visit was to raise funds for the National Garden Scheme. A friendly bunch not deterred by the rain. Tea and homemade cakes consumed they departed as jolly as they had arrived.

Joining Cathy and the other bloggers with their vases of flowers.

Thanks for reading, have a great week wherever you are. D.

In a vase on Monday: golden brown

Tags

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, golden light, hydrangea arborescens Annabelle, Hydrangea paniculata limelight, in a vase on Monday, January, Miscanthus sinensis, pine cones, Verbena bonariensis

The overhead lighting is casting a rather yellow light over today’s collection of seed and flower heads.

There is a crispness to their texture and a fragility which requires a very light touch.

The fluff of the seed heads of the Miscanthus are so delicate, light as a feather, perfect for catching a breeze and dispersing.

The pine cones are from my friends garden from her so called 100 acre wood tree. The tiny flower is from the Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle. The metal pot with holes is from a shop in Suffolk and I thought it might make a rather good pot for a cactus or succulent.

What can you find in your garden to share this Monday? See Cathy’s blog. Cathy hosts this immensely enjoyable and popular post.

Just the tonic for a Monday. D.

In a Vase on Monday: No

Tags

Aster, eupatorium, gourds, in a vase on Monday, Miscanthus sinensis, November, Thomas Hood

Do you remember that poem about November? By Thomas Hood. 

“No sun – no moon! 

No morn – no noon – 

No dawn – no dusk – no proper time of day. 

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, 

No comfortable feel in any member – 

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, 

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! – 

November!”

Now hang on a minute, that’s nonsense. Outside there is a frost, the sun is shining in a clear blue sky and whilst there may be no fruit, flowers or leaves there are these.

All a bit brown, perhaps but there is a beauty if you look carefully 

Closer 

I like the way the centre of the white aster links to the seed heads of the eupatorium and miscanthus. I also like how the ridges on the glass bottle pick up those on the gourd. 

So my vase for today is saying No but yes. I am sharing it with you and Cathy. Have a good day.

Tuesday view:19/9/17

Tags

autumn approaching, Eupatorium Elin, Miscanthus sinensis, sanguisorba candenensis, Sedum Autumn joy, Tuesday View, Verbena bonariensis

Hola! Having not long returned from my holidays, I am struck by how cold it is. Where did Summer disappear to. The view this morning was softened by a grey light mist.

After last nights rain everything was dripping wet, literally. 

The one thing I do like at this time of year is seeing the cobwebs:

That poor verbena bonariensis is swamped. 

Sedums are in full colour looking at their best this time of year. 

The other outstanding plant for this time of year is Miscanthus sinensis seen here with Eupatorium in the fore ground and white Sanguisorba candenensis 

So that was my view this morning, rather Autumnal. Now at 6pm the sun is shining as if a different day. I am joining Cathy to share my view. Why don’t you think about sharing yours? 

Have a good evening.D.

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: ethereal

Tags

apothecary bottle, calamagrostis Karl Foerster, coreopsis moonshine, in a vase on Monday, Miscanthus sinensis, molinia Transparent, verbena bonariensis. sanguisorba candenensis

The garden has a number of different grasses and they are looking at their best presently. Using a few Calamagrostis Karl Foerster, Molinia Transparent and Miscanthus sinensis Flamingo I have added a stem of the creamy white,  gently scented, Sanguisorba candenensis. Then the rather promiscuous Verbena bonariensis, I have seedlings all over the garden and finally the delightful palest yellow of Coreopsis Moonshine.

I do not anticipate that they will last much beyond Monday but no matter. 

It is a vase for Monday, a meme hosted by Cathy at https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com

Have a good week.

Wordless Wednesday: catching the Autumn rays

Tags

Autumn sunshine, Miscanthus sinensis, wordless wednesday