Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
Colchicum Glory of Heemstede - the autumn crocus and the pure white variety... Colchicum speciosum 'Album' Naked ladies eh? That should increase the visitor numbers to this blog, though how disappointing to be confronted with the Autumn Crocus! Naked, because the flowers appear before the leaves. X-rated this is not. There are crocuses which flower…
Continue reading ➞ Naked Ladies….
I'm reprising three earlier posts, now that bulbs are arriving in garden centres and nurseries - tulips and narcissus, hyacinth, crocus and all manner of buried treasure. Tulips won't mind being planted later in this year, even into November, though the choice will become more limited as stocks go down. Buy now and keep them…
Continue reading ➞ The Bold and the Beautiful – Tulipmania
Agapanthus Midnight Star It didn't take long for this stand of agapanthus to attract some wildlife, though I am ashamed to say that I don't know the name of this visitor. How about Geraldine? Clearly there is some reward in these tightly closed flower-buds and the butterfly has the apparatus to collect. Nature, amazing.
A double border, 147 m long and 11m wide, designed by Piet Oudolf using large swathes of herbaceous perennials, grasses and shrubs - plants repeated along the length of this extravagant piece of theatre, running down to the lake and Glasshouse. Today, the pompom heads of Allium Purple Sensation provided the fun and drama, bouncing…
Continue reading ➞ Piet Oudolf, pom-poms and fish fingers
Sometimes, you just have to work with what you've got. In this case, a new delivery of flowering alliums, Pinball Wizard, and a background provided by our Biffa refuse skips... Works for me. http://www.thegardencentregroup.co.uk/item/Herbaceous-Perennials/Pinball-Wizard/VBQ
Apricot Foxx (pink/peach), Brown Sugar (pink/orange) and La Belle Epoque (brown) are all stunning tulips in this fine display, matched perfectly with Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra Maxima,' the Crown Imperial and a skirt of Narcissus Suzy (yellow with red centre). A rhythm of large planters along a wide terrace with a daring, close-colour harmony. Another brilliant…
Continue reading ➞ Apricot Foxx, Brown Sugar, La Belle Epoque & Crown Imperials
I''ve had to console myself with a visit to the RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr, while recording Alan Titchmarsh and the goings on at the Chelsea Flower Show on the BBC. But hard done I am not, given the fantastic display at these Yorkshire gardens, as well as brunch at Betty's famous establishment, on site.…
Continue reading ➞ Lemon sorbet, blackberry ice, tutti-frutti, raspberry ripple, orange granita…
OK, so it's not a phase. Officially, Orange and more Orange. A return visit to the RHS gardens at Harlow Carr (near Harrogate in Yorkshire) and so much to see! Small in comparison to RHS Wisley, but still packing in the excitement and seasonal interest. Planted containers full of tulips, in vibrant and jewel-like combinations,…
Continue reading ➞ Molten lava….
More bluebells you might think, but nearing this muted haze, you realise they are much, much taller, a massed planting of something different, flower-heads matched in height by umbels of cow parsley. Camassias. Now I see the point of these plants! One part of a walk through the various landscapes at the Royal Botanic Gardens…
Continue reading ➞ Moody blues…
The Teddington Gardener 