Six on Saturday: 11 July 20

Tags

Aster laterflorus Lady in Black, clematis Arabella, crimson glory vine, gardens open for charity, Leucanthemum x superbum, National Garden Scheme, NGS, Nigella seed head, Shasta Daisy, six on saturday, The frustrated Gardener, the watch house, Vitis coignetiae

Good morning. I hope this finds you well. It has been a week of mixed weather here with lots of rain. Great for plants but soggy, sticky work for us gardeners. I have yet to find waterproofs that are suited to garden work ie tough enough and that allow the wearer to breathe rather than feel she or he is in a plastic bag. Send me your tips if you have any solutions.

On to the six to share with The Propagator and you of course.

The Watch House

Hold up, I hear you cry, that’s not your garden Dorris. Correct. It’s not. It belongs to The frustrated Gardener I made my first garden visit of 2020. The National Garden Scheme has opened some of its gardens for by appointment visits. This is a charity which supports nurses and healthcare workers to the tune of over £3million last year. It is a charity to support at the best of times and more so during a pandemic.

The Watch House in Broadstairs Kent is actually two separate gardens: the jungle garden and the gin and tonic garden. Before visiting I have to confess that lockdown had sapped my garden joie de vivre. An hour or so immersed in these gardens chatting to Dan and the Beau with my sister was just the tonic. I left fully enthused, with ideas running around in my head, trying to remember the detail and the names of some of these incredible plants. If you are able I would encourage you to make a visit and support a very worthy charity.

Crimson glory vine

Back to the weather, the warm temperatures and rain has possibly unleashed a beast. This is Vitis coignetiae and it appears to be making a bid for garden domination. Serious haircut needed and I am not just referring to me.

In the last seven days these have opened. I do love a daisy.

Shasta daisies

Leucanthemum x superbum. These are such easy flowers. They can require staking if grown in part shade as they will lean forward towards the light. These ones are in gravel on an old overrflow parking spot. They get chopped to the ground in autumn and that is it. Treat them mean, they seem to thrive.

The Nigella have gone over but what they leave behind is strikingly beautiful, pods for a vase or to dry.

Clematis Arabella

This is a new addition to the garden. It is a non clinging type, herbaceous. It has just started flowering and is scrambling amongst Aster laterflorus Lady in Black.

Clematis Arrabella and Aster Lady in Black

Verbena bonariensis grows like a weed in my garden but I don’t care, it’s such a pretty colour and the butterflies adore it. Here it is with the gorgeous David Austin Roses Brother Cadfael. A pretty shade of pink with a gentle rose scent.

Rose Brother Cadfael and Verbena bonariensis

Roses are in full swing in July and this beauty is full of blooms.

Rose Lark Asceding

There are three plants here which make a real show. Close up it is a healthy plant, no black spot and such pretty flowers.

I hope you have a good weekend, wherever you are and thanks for reading. If you can arrange to visit an open garden to support the NGS please do. D.

Six on Saturday: National Garden Scheme

Tags

Aeoniums, apple juice, Calamagrostis brachytricha, Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, Carers Trust, Cercis canadensis, Cerciscanadensis Forest pansy, grasses, Horatio's Garden, Hospice UK, Leonard Cheshire, Macmillan Cancer Support, Maggie's Centres, Marie Curie, MS Society, National Garden Scheme, NGS, Parkinson's UK, Perennial, Queens Nursing Institute, six on saturday, stipa tenuissima, Verbena bonariensis

Tomorrow my garden is open in aid of the National Garden Scheme, NGS.  For those who do not know, the NGS is a registered charity which in 2017 raised a whopping £3.1m, not bad from open gardens and selling tea and cakes,  This was divided amongst the following charities: Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Carers Trust, Queen’s Nursing institute, Parkinson’s UK, Perennial, MS Society, Maggie’s Centres, Leonard Cheshire, Horatio’s Garden and not amongst gardeners as one friend thought.

I have worked flat out in the month of September, weeding, digging, trimming, edging, sweeping, deadheading and watering to prepare the garden as best as possible. I am on first name terms with the chaps at the dump.  Rather annoyingly then that the weather has decided to be somewhat inhospitable blowing in a gale and rain.  Undeterred I am hoping that a hardy group of gardening types and perhaps Aeonium fanciers will show up.

This splendid bunch have been donated by a very generous chap who prefers to remain anonymous and I shall be selling cuttings for folk to take home.  All in aid of NGS.  Absolute Aeonium heaven.

2.  There will be a selection of cards, old gardening magazines and apple juice for sale.  The apple juice has been pressed from the tree in my garden.

 

3. The roses may be almost finished but there are Cosmos and Zinnias. The main sight is perhaps the Verbena bonariensis.

It has self sown all around the garden and in the cracks in the paving.

4.  Blowing in the wind will be a mixture of grasses which are at their peak in early Autumn.

Calamagrostis Karl Foerster, Calamagrostis brachytricha and Stipa tenuissima

5. A small tree which is always admired, not least by me, Cercis canadensis

The red toned heart shaped leaves are delightful.

6.  There will be some shelter from the worst of the weather inside my rather grandly named summer house.  (It is neither summer nor a house).

Joining our host the Propagator who encourages us to list our top six from our gardens.  Thanks for reading.

Now if the weather would just be kind….

Thank you to all my helpers and cake makers, lenders of time and lenders of other bits and bobs, givers of general moral support.  I certainly would not be able to this without you.  Wishing you all a lovely weekend wherever you are.  D.

Six on Saturday

Tags

Aster, Bees, Borage officinalis, Cosmos, Dahlia Bishop of Auckland, garden opening for charity, National Garden Scheme, six on saturday, stipa tenuissima, Verbena macdougalii Lavender Spires

I am under (self imposed) pressure to get the garden ready for its NGS opening on 29/9. Yesterday I made good progress chopping back, weeding and mulching and today a car full went to the tip. My Six today are some of the sights that I enjoyed this morning before the next round begins.

1.

The Bishop of Auckland. Dahlia. Finally throwing some flowers. Hope Brother Dorris and family like this one.

2.

Hairy bees and borage

3. Stipa tenuissima looking better for a comb to remove its sticky seeds.

4.

Rudbeckia maxima looking more upright than yesterday thanks to a bit of late staking. The wind yesterday had all but flattened them.

5.

Verbena macdougalii Lavender Spires. I especially like this variation for its curious fingers.

6.

The foliage of the Cosmos looks vibrant against the dark backdrop of Aster lateriflorus Lady in Black.

That’s it. Back to the weeding. Hoping you get chance to join in or read The Propagator post.

Have a good weekend, wherever you are. D.