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.

In a vase on Monday: hedgerows and bonnets

Tags

Allium Purple Sensation, Anthriscus sylvestris, Anthriscus sylvestris ravenswing, Aquilegia, Borago officinalis, cerinthe major purpurascens, Hebe hulkeanea, hedgerows and bonnets, in a vase on Monday, New Zealand lilac, persicaria bistorta, Sweet cicely, Thalictrum Elin

From the title, some of you may immediately know what I am going to have in today’s vase: Cow Parsley and Aquilegia. You are not wrong.

A froth of cow parsley in its own cream pot.

Shades of purple bonnets from Aquilegia in the tiny cream pot sharing space with Cerinthe.

In a separate old syrup of fig bottle is stand alone Allium Purple Sensation. Too stylised a form to share space with the froth.

In the fourth vessel, another old cream pot is a mix of blue starred Borage, Anthriscus sylvestris Ravenswing which is, most certainly, a refined form of cow parsley blessed with burgundy stems.

There is yet more Cerinthe which is having a bumper bloom. There are candy floss pink sticks of Persicaria bisorta. The taller purple flowers are from Thalictrum Elin and the whiter froth is from Sweet cicely.

If you look carefully, there is also the just about to open, lilac coloured sprig of Hebe hulkeana or New Zealand lilac. This is the first time it has flowered.

A complete contrast to my green and white effort Last week.

Please now take a look at Our host Cathy to see her vase and those from other bloggers all over the garden world.

Have a great week and thanks for reading. D.

Top ten Blooms for March

Tags

allium schubertii, Anthriscus sylvestris ravenswing, Grape hyacinth, hyacinth, March, Philadelphus aurea, Prunus Nipponica Ruby, Spring flowers, Thalictrum Elin, Top ten blooms, Tulip Ballerina

Chloris invites us to share our top ten blooms with her on the 23rd of each month. Although today is the 27th I want to share my top ten with her and you as I know she won’t mind too much that I am a couple of days late. So here they are in all their blooming glory:

Prunus Nipponica Ruby. This is a new tree in my garden a dwarf form and I am delighted by its blossom.

Philadelphus aurea This mock orange was included in my garden as I love this foliage. A fresh bright lime which stands out amongst all other green leafed shrubs. Not yet fully grown the leaves are opening swiftly now.

Bulbs are in full show right now well apart from the tulips who are coming slowlyTulip Ballerina I think.

This is the crazy and eccentric Allium schubertii . Just appearing.

Blue and white Hyacinths are filling the air with their heady aroma. I have these in raised beds to avoid my very heavy clay.

The marmite of bulbs? Perhaps. Grape hyacinth growing happily under the Hornbeam hedge.

Then there is this:

A single blue beauty. I do not what it is Chloris. It piggy backed from a garden who gave me a couple of Hellebores. I hope it stays and makes a few friends.

This may look a bit like Aquilegia but it is Thalictrum Elin. I adore Thalictrum and this one will be around 1.2m tall by Summer.

As Cow parsley pulls away so too is this dark leaf version, Anthriscus sylvestris Ravenswing.

Euphorbia amygdaloides purpurea

There you have it, my ten for March. Not bad for starters? Thanks for reading. D.

Saturday smile: mingling

Tags

cytisus battandieri, David Austin Roses, Rose "Lark Ascending", Sambucus Nigra, Saturday smile, Sweet cicely, Thalictrum Elin

All together, mingling.

Thalictrum, pineapple broom, black leaf elder, Roses, sweet cicely.

Tuesday View: 9 August 2016

Tags

Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, Echinacea purpurea, Echinops bannaticus Taplow Blue, eupatorium, Joe pie weed, Thalictrum Elin, Tuesday View, Verbena bonariensis

Morning view with bright sunlight

 

I have not managed to update my Tuesday view for a couple of weeks and the main difference seems to be the bleaching of the grass Calamagrostis Karl Foerster.

Calamagrostis Karl Foerster

 

The Tuesday View is hosted by Cathy at https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com It is a meme for us to watch and share the development and seasonal changes to an area in the garden.  If you would like to join in please be sure to add a link back to Cathys blog.

Eupatorium, Joe pie weed is now showing its full colour and has reached a height of about 1.5m.  I have had to water it the last few weeks as it shows droopy leaves when it begins to dry out.

Joe pie weed with Echinops and Karl Foerster

Flowers of the Joe pie weed mingle with Verbena, Thalictrum elin towers above

The purple of Joe pie sits happily with the ever delightful Verbena Bonariensis. The Verbena has self sown itself around the beds and is suggesting a take over bid.  The magnificent Thalictrum Elin has finished flowering and its remains tower above.

Echinacea purpurea

Since last time I posted the Echinacea has opened its petals to reveal its lovely form.  I love a daisy shape flower, don’t you?

The forecast remains pretty good for this week so I hope you get a minute to sit in your own garden and feel the grass tickle your toes.  One final thing I must show you, not in this view but in the garden cutting beds.

Lily

The scent of this Lily is so powerful I bet you can almost smell it.

 

 

Tuesday View 12 July 2016

Tags

Achillea, Catalpa speciosa pulverulenta, Dahlia Arabian Night, Thalictrum Elin, Tuesday View, Verbena bonariensis

The view today is not much changed from last week except that the strong winds at the weekend have bashed things a little and some of the last blooms were blown off.  I am joining Cathy at https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com to share the view.

The last outreaches of the foxgloves remain and Verbena bonariensis is reaching for the sky at about 2m tall.  This is last years plant which survived thanks to the milder wetter Winter we had. Thalictrum Elin is doing her thing way up high.

Lower down in the flower bed is achillea, the variety of which I cannot recall right now but you can see it has flopped down over the geraniums and Alchemilla mollis thanks to the wind.

Another survivor from last year is this (out of focus, sorry) Dahlia  Arabian Night which has just begun to flower.  A welcome survivor, expect to see it appearing in Monday vases for a few months. Last but by no means least is my little tree.

Catalpa speciosa ‘pulverulenta’

I have admired the Indian Bean tree but chose this variety in the hope that it will be smaller.  It should reach a maximum 3x3m.  I love it for its pale lime, heart shaped leaves  which are speckled creamy white.  It should have a white flower with purple yellow speckles, still waiting on these.  Currently it is about 1.2m tall and I was very relieved to see that it had survived its first, very wet Winter.

As I write we have a yellow warning for heavy rain for this afternoon.  Be careful out there.

Wordless Wednesday: dusk

Tags

5/7/16, dusk, Thalictrum Elin, wordless wednesday

Dusk, last night

Tuesday View July 5 2016

Tags

eupatorium, Thalictrum Elin, Tuesday View

I was late with my Monday vase this week and now I am a day late joining Cathy https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com with the Tuesday view.

The main difference this week is that the grasses are opening their seed heads whilst Thalictrum Elin is pretty much open.

The roses are in need of dead heading and some plants could do with a little support. Eupatorium is continuing in an upwardly direction and its flowers are beginning to form.
Thanks Cathy for hosting this meme. Dorris.

Tuesday View 28 June 16

Tags

Astrantia major, astrantia shaggy, Digitalis purpurea, Eupatorium purpureum, foxgloves, Geum "Mrs Bradshaw", Joe pie weed, molinia Transparent, Rose "Lark Ascending", Thalictrum Elin, Tuesday View

I am linking with Cathy of https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com to share my view of the the garden as it develops and changes through the seasons.  This Tuesday is a beautiful Summers morning and yet still rain is forecast for later in the day.

The giant Thalictrum Elin

Against a rare blue sky this morning

Thalictrum Elin is a fabulous addition to my border, reaching up to 2.3meters.  The top of the flowers can be seen clearly above the fence line on the roadside.  That may not seem very interesting but to me, where there previously has been no garden at all, this is exciting. I actually prefer the plant at this bud stage before the flowers pop open as its colour changes to a creamy yellow.

The Joe-pie weed Eupatorium purpureum is the large leaf perennial in the foreground of the first picture.  It too will grow tall, up to 2.5m generating pink fluffly flowers on stout stems.  I chose it for its height and its suitability for a wildlife friendly garden.

Even the common old fox gloves  Digitalis purpurea are tall this year.

Behind the tall outer plants, Astrantia Shaggy and Astrantia major are flowering their socks off and have been for about a month.  The grasses are looking ethereal, this is ‘Transparent’ mixing in with the Astrantias creating a haze through which you can see the wonderful rose ‘Lark Ascending.’

The stronger orange on the corner of the bed is the so called ‘rascally’ Geum ‘Mrs Bradshaw’ (so called by Cathy at ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com after seeing it yesterday in my vase on Monday).

The garden is full and some of the plants are reaching their peak.  Roses, grasses, foxgloves, astrantia are wonderful right now.  What is looking great in your garden? If you would like to join in with sharing your Tuesday view, do join Cathy at wordsandherbs.wordpress.com and be sure to make a link back to her page.

Happy gardening

In a vase on Monday: Ms Jekyll

Tags

Astrantia 'Roma', David Austin Gertrude Jekyll, in a vase on Monday, Knautia macedonia, Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant', Persicaria bistort, Thalictrum Elin

Rose Gertrude Jekyll

Monday is the day to pick some flowers from your garden to share with other like minded folk. Hosted by Cathy at https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com her meme will see some wonderful vases full now the garden is full of flowers.

The first of my roses have appeared: Gertrude jekyll is a David Austin Rose which has the benefit of a strong rose scent and it is a rose which should flower from now until about October.

To this I have added the pink astrantia, Astrantia ‘Roma’ and pink persicaria Bisort.  There is the first of the pincushions of Knautia Macedonia and a sprig of the rather vaguely blue Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’.  The froth of puple is Thalictrum Erin again, this time with its flowers open.

The garden is growing a pace, rapidly getting away from me.  Better get back out there.  Thanks for looking.