Digitalis (Foxgloves) providing some excitement in these displays – as it does in the garden – with more spires and spikes provided by Salvia Caradonna and, just coming into flower, Aconitum napellus in white. Ceanothus (Californian Lilac) adds more blue to the mix, with bright orange bringing the scheme to life – this is Geum Mrs Bradshaw.
This is a less likely combination of colours but I think there is something to it – blue/greys coming in from the tufted grass, Festuca glauca, together with Lavender Hidcote and the Ceanothus (again) – set against a large specimen of dark-leaved Weigela florida, Acer Bloodgood and Rose Fabvier. Nepetas, Salvia Rose Friesland and Verbena bonariensis are in there too.
Meanwhile in the Cutting Garden, the Dahlias have arrived and the pom-poms of Allium heads are coming through strongly.
More roses are coming through – this is Gloire de Dijon (or Old Glory)
Shrub rose, Cornelia
An altogether more unusual affair, Rose Viridiflora – with bracts of green purple and brown…
A David Austin rose, as a Standard – Lady of Shalott
and the same variety, taken indoors for a spell…
and while we are indoors – a selection from the current shop displays…
and in the Teahouse Glasshouse…
Clematis Josephine
Passiflora caerulea and the cultivar, Amethyst – with scented and regal pelargoniums, below
and outside again… White Wisteria and Lady Bank’s Rose
and finally, picture-wise, in the meadows and munching on Queen Anne’s Lace – a rather beautiful horse – if one prone to gurning…
Create a Scented Garden
For those people who are attending/will have attended the talk at the Nurseries, on Tuesday 13th May with Thomas Broom – ‘Create a Scented Garden’ – if you either search for ‘Fragrance’ or click on the tag to the right of this entry (‘Fragrance’ once again) – there’s an article taken from the Historic Roses Group magazine on the scent of roses in particular, and I think it makes for very interesting and illuminating reading.
For me now, I’ve a busy three days ahead and a van full of plants to find homes for – lots of vanilla scented Nemesia, fragrant Lavender Hidcote (one of the more compact varieties with intense Sapphire flowers), Oleanders for a container centrepiece, Erigeron karvinskianus (but of course), Euphorbia Diamond Fog (or some-such, a blizzard of tiny white flowers and equally diminutive leaf that will flower until the frosts), Agapanthus, Alchemilla mollis, Sanguisorba officinalis, trailing Verbena in white and blue-pink (Woodlark), Verbena bonariensis for a touch of airy height, a small collection of thymes, various, for a tapestry effect… all these I will add to the plants already waiting patiently at home – the Nicotiana sylvestris, Lupin Masterpiece(s), more white trailing Verbena, Sky Blue Petunias, more Verbena bonariensis, Hydrangea Bluebird, Solomon’s Seal, Choisya Royal Lace (see below), Sweet Pea and Cosmos seedlings…….
Plenty of summer containers to create methinks. Plenty to keep me busy!
By the way, I really, really like this new Choisya called Royal Lace. Such finely cut and aromatic leaves with the same distinctive ‘Choisya’ fragrance of mint, basil and opal fruits – and twice-flowering habit. Maybe I need another….
The Teddington Gardener 