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.

Garden visit: Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Tags

Acer grisium, Bergenia Bressingham Ruby, Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Cornus alba sibirica, Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire', garden visit, Helleborus foetidus, Rubus cockburnianus, stinking hellebore, weather report, white stemmed bramble, Winter garden

In the depths of Winter it can be hard to stay enthused about the garden yet if you know where to look there are some stunning examples of a Winter garden. One such place in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden and yesterday was the day I went to see for myself. I was not disappointed.

Winter Garden

First the factual bits for those who like to know these things: the garden opened in 1846 and has been a focus and stimulus for science and research in the University. The gardens comprise forty acres of gardens and glasshouses which hold Grade II* heritage landscape. It was the vision of John Stevens Henslow who was a professor of botany at the University and mentor to Charles Darwin no less. Henslow’s new, perhaps ground breaking idea, was that the Botanic Garden should be for the experimental study of the plants rather than just a physic garden for the medical students. Today the garden holds over 8,000 plant species.

I did not see any where near 8,000 plants but those that I did see were very beautiful, just look at the Acer Grisium in the picture above, surrounded by the stunning bank of Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’

Acer grisium

The Dogwoods were in good colour and I liked the use of the smaller leaf Bergenia Bressingham Ruby as ground cover, such a good form.

Cornus alba sibirica with Hellebore

Bergenia Bressingham Ruby

If you really only like white in the garden and find all the colour rather vulgar, the next combination is rather spectacular:White stemmed bramble underplanted with snowdrops

Rubus Goldenvale

A vicious plant with long whippy thorny growth which needs an annual prune to encourage the new white stems for next year, gauntlets and chaps recommended.

After looking at the Winter garden on such a cold day it was necessary to warm up in the cafe. The food is very good and reasonably priced with a great selection of vegetarian dishes.

Stylish cafe area, note the trained Lime trees

Trailing hellebore, corten steel

A couple of things that I brought away from the visit is the idea of using Hellebore foetidus as a trailing plant and the cacti and succulents in the glass houses.  I will share those another time.

Anyway, if the weather is getting you down, don’t let it.  Grab your coat and hat and get out there to see some something beautiful,

Maximum? no reading.

whatever the weather.

Enjoy your weekend.