Six on Saturday: 17 October 2020

Tags

aster lateriflorus Lady in Black, Carpinus betulus, cornus midwinter fire, crimson glory vine, Hornbeam, Leucanthemella, parthenocissus quinquefolia, penstemon, six on saturday, Virginia Creeper, Vitis coignetiae

Have you noticed how our gardens this week have become very autumnal thanks to the weather and shorter daylight hours? It is mid October so I suppose it is to be expected yet it seems to have changed almost overnight. Sharing the sights of the garden with you and our host The Propagator

Golden

This impressive display is from Cornus Midwinter Fire, so called I should imagine because it has incredible stems which are the colours of fire, orange through to yellow. These will reveal themselves once the golden leaves drop.

Multicoloured

These multicoloured shades of green to yellow to red are from Vitis coignetiae, crimson Glory vine. The crimson colours are starting to come through and I am hoping it gets time to show before the leaves drop.

Ruby red leaves

This is Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia. This is at the garden where I work. It is a plant which I really dislike for its rampant growth literally meters per season. Self clinging, it leaves dirty sucker marks which are almost impossible to remove over anything in its way including brickwork, paintwork and window panes. High maintenance. When cutting it back I have had a severe reaction to its sap which has left my forearms swollen for a week. Then it changes into this stunning show and all is forgiven. Almost.

Autumn light on the Hornbeam

Hornbeam, Carpinus betulus, is catching the sunlight, illuminating the subtle change from fresh green leaves to a yellowing before turning fully brown. Rather like Beech these leaves will not drop until the spring.

On the opposite side of the path is Aster lateriflorus Lady in Black which is covered in tiny daisies.

Lady in Black

Late to flower these tiny sequins of daisies have only emerged in the last ten days.

White flowers are still shining in the garden, this white penstemon.

Fresh and bright

Nearby the tall daisies of Leucanthemella are still flowering.

White daisies

These are my selection to share with you this week. Have a good weekend wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Six on Saturday: 19 September 20

Tags

Aeoniums, Catalpa bignoides pulverulentum, crimson glory vine, Leucanthemella, penstemon, sanguisorba canadensis, six on saturday, Stipa Calamagrostis, Verbena bonariensis, Vitis coignetiae

There has been some beautiful weather here this week but noticeably the evening light is dropping sharply by about 1900hrs. Consequently the temperature has dropped sharply overnight. As a result the mornings are dewy and the light is just plain lovely.

My six to share with you lovely readers and our host The Propagator are snapshots of the garden in the autumnal light.

Morning light with Verbena

Sunlight warming the wall with Vitis coignetiae

Shafts of light on the yet to open Leucanthemella

White penstemon illuminated in the sunlight

Foliage of variegated Indian bean tree
Catalpa bignoides pulverulentum

Still plenty of colour from the white Sanguisorba canadensis,, Verbena, Rose A Shropshire Lad, and the pink from the plant formerly known as, Sedum Autumn Joy

The incredibly beautiful Aeonium

Drifts of fluffy Stipa Calamagrostis

More than six this week but I’ve kept the narrative to a minimum, hoping that’s allowed.

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

Six on Saturday: 5/9/20

Tags

Aeonium atropurpureum cristata, Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster, crimson glory vine, Geranium 'Ann folkard', molinia Transparent, ornamental gourds, rose a shropshire lad, Sedum Autumn joy, so x on saturday, stipa tenuissima, Vitis coignetiae

I have had little time in my garden of late, for various reasons including the inclement weather. I had moved my Aeoniums and species pelargoniums out of the worst of the weather into the shelter of the summer house but had not had opportunity to move them back out into the open. In just a couple of weeks the foliage has changed. My six to share with you and The Propagator include these.

Aeoniums back in the open air

It fascinates me how the lower light levels quickly change the black foliage back to green. Plants are so cool. If you look at the tiny rosettes of Aeonium atropurpureum cristata, front right above and centre below you will see how the once almost completely black rosettes are now green with black edges. Hopefully they will have time to revert to black before they come in the house for Winter.

Aeoniums on 19 August

Foliage is beginning to show seasonal change. This is my small blossom tree

Showing distinct Autumnal foliage matching last nights sky.

Night sky over the barn roof

The foliage of Crimson Glory vine is not crimson yet but it is definitely turning.

Vitis coignetiae

Thoughtful colleagues have dropped a trug of produce to me . These squashes are grown from seed and are ornamental gourds. Stunning in this mornings light.

A blast of sunlight

Ornamental gourds

September is when the grasses come into their own. Calamagrostis, stipas, Molinias all have a place in my garden.

Stipa tenuissima

Molinia Transparent

Calamagrostis Karl Foerster

These all tolerate my very exposed garden and do not need staking. They capture the low level autumn light unlike any other plant. If you don’t have any grasses, I highly recommend them.

Finally, flowers. Flowers still going are roses, dahlias, rudbeckias and Seseli as well as Asters and the reddening flowers of ice plant, formerly known as Sedum.

Formerly known as Sedum Autumn Joy

Rose a Shropshire Lad

Geranium Ann Folkard

Geraniums were cut back hard about a month ago and are flowering again.

These are my six this evening. Have a good weekend wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

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: win some, lose some 16 May 20

Tags

Aquilegias, Cercis candanensis, crimson glory vine, David Austin Roses, digitalis, fig, fiscus Brown Turkey, Forest pansy, foxgloves, frost damage, Rose Morning Mist, six on saturday, Vitis coignetiae

We had overnight surface frosts this week. Darn it. Some plants sadly have lost their new foliage and are looking a tad sick and sorry. My six this week share those plus a couple of better sights. Joining The Propagator and others from around the globe with my six this Saturday.

Rose ‘Morning Mist’

A single rose with a gentle rose scent

This rose, a David Austin climber is against a south facing wall and has got away unharmed. So far, so lovely.

Foxgloves have started to open. Digitalis purpurea. Common as they come, they are tough and appear to have shrugged off the cold without a second glance. I rather like these against the backdrop of the Acer palmatum and Sambucus niger.

Aquilegias

These Aquilegias are undeterred by the cold. They are continuing to open their bonnets and I love seeing their long ‘straps’ behind them.

Now for the ugly. Brace.

Here are the baby leaves of the Vitis coignetiae

Not looking either Crimson or glory, this poor vine has taken a hammering.

Then there’s the Forest pansy.

Cercis candanensis

Ouch, that’s got to hurt. New leaves burnt to a black crisp. I hope the damage will not be long term but I am not sure.

Oh fig

This poor thing has turned up its leaves and blackened its fruit. Curtains for fruit this year.

That is my six. Some good, some bad. Have a good week wherever you are and thanks for reading. D.

Wordless Wednesday: 23 October

Tags

aster Lady in Black, garden view, October, Vitis coignetiae, wordless wednesday

Six on Saturday: autumnal

Tags

amelanchier, crimson glory vine, Dahlia Cafe au Lait, Helianthus salicifolius, June berry, parthenocissus quinquefolia, six on saturday, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum ‘Lady in Black’, Virginia Creeper, Vitis coignetiae

Rain has come in this month and although, so far, the month is mild, the weakening light is changing the view.

My six I am sharing with you lovely folk and The Propagator this weekend reflect the changes:

1.

At the garden where I work we battle to keep the Virginia creeper under control. It scrambles up the walls of the house and left unchecked comes in through the windows. Often threatened with a pruning saw at ground level, this week it has reminded us why it is allowed to stay.

2. Cafe au Lait

The tubers came from Waitrose and were planted last year. They overwintered under a deep mulch. Real show stoppers.

3.

This is Helianthus salicifolius. Tall with lovely quirky foliage and topped with very late (October) opening golden flowers. I rather like the foliage more than the flowers.

4.

Another late flowering lovely, this is Lady in black . Dainty flowers smother the stems from top to bottom. Really pretty it has been planted to form an informal edge to the border.

5.

Autumn is certainly coming, just look at the turning foliage on the Crimson glory vine, Vitis coignetiae. This is growing on the wall of the garage and it is pleasing to see it begin to colour up as last year the leaves just dropped off with no colour change.

6.

This dripping wet red leaf is Amelanchier. A small shrub currently it will become a statement feature in spring and Autumn.

That’s my six. Join us or read some of the other sixes. Enjoy your weekend wherever you are. D.

Six on Saturday: it’s August

Tags

Alex Moore, August, Echinacea Delicious Candy, Echinacea purpurea, Echinops ritro white, Helianthus salicifolius, madebymoore, sempervivums, six on saturday, Succulents, Vitis coignetiae, weather

It is August yet the weather seems to think otherwise. I took these pictures yesterday morning when they were blowing in the wind and covered in rain, rather than basking in any glorious August sunshine. Hey ho, it could be worse, it could be today! What a shocker. Truly atrocious summer weather.

Here’s the six:

Six succulents. Some are Sempervivums I hear you cry.

I don’t have names for any of these apart from Aeonium zwartkop (that’s the fourth one). These grow well in coastal regions in the UK but here in my garden on the Herts. /Bucks borders, mine survive, rather than thrive.

The succulents are precious to me and they are carefully placed in the house over the winter months as they are not at all hardy and they hate our wet cold winters. Don’t we all.

The Houseleeks or sempervivums are left outside but under glass to protect them from the worst or the weather. They are quite tough really.

I enjoy these every Summer and forget how annoying it is in the Winter to find space for them.

2.

This is the third year for Althea cannabina and it has hit its stride. Wonderful, wafting in the wind, oodles of soft pink, mallow like flowers, taller than me. I wouldn’t be without it. Here it has fronds of Molinia Transparent and Coreopsis Verticillata Moonbeam behind it.

3. Echinacea ‘Delicious Candy’

I purchased this last August, drawn to its luminous colour and name. It is beginning to bulk up. Cathy remarked that these do not do well in her garden ( frankly the only thing, everything she grows looks so good) after one appeared earlier this week in my IAVOM. Echinacea do like an open site and with room to bulk up, to thrive. They only lasted one year in my last garden.

3. Echinacea purpurea

This is their time. Flowering when the roses are recharging their batteries. Good with grasses. Just great for bees.

4.

This pile of green leaves may not look very interesting but trust me, it will be a stunner this autumn. Vitis coignetiae or Crimson Glory vine. It is climbing over the garage wall and has reached onto the roof. It will be in for a major chop soon enough.

5.

The willow like foliage is what I grow the perennial sunflower for. Helianthus salicifolius. It will have small daisy like flowers in the autumn and will reach 2.5m tall.

The yellow flowers I like less. I am even considering pinching out the flowers as they will detract from the shaggy texture which is so intriguing. Alas the wind is battering them today.

6. Echinops

These pale Pom poms are taking over. Echinops ritro white. I like them less than E Veitch Blue but these are better suited to my heavy soil. In case you are wondering what is in the centre of the picture, it is the bird feeder made by Alex Moore.

I love how it is fully surrounded by plant life now.

Joining our host The Propagator who is on his ‘olidays. Enjoy !

Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend wherever you are. D.