Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
Did you know that 8% of all flowering plants are orchids? Well there are quite a lot of them here in the Princess of Wales Conservatory for the Orchid Festival at Kew Gardens... Warm, humid spaces, with a tropical soundtrack too, filled with all manner of floral delights, thousands of orchids and other exotica. The…
Continue reading ➞ Escape winter….. Orchids at Kew 2014
Lapageria rosea Asking for directions in the Woodland Garden today, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, I was directed along one path, down a smaller curving side passage to a brick shed and along one side of this small utility building, practically hidden from view, is this spectacular flowering vine, the Chilean Bellflower. My thanks…
Continue reading ➞ Lapageria rosea – hidden delights at Kew
The Albrighton Rambler - a repeat flowering rambling rose introduced this year by David Austin. This was always going to be my favourite of this year's clutch of new roses from rose breeder, David Austin - a rarity amongst rambling roses, one that flowers several times (repeatedly) in the season (and not just once, a…
Continue reading ➞ In the pink – The Albrighton Rambler
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata var. maximowiczii 'Elegans' A compact climber with attractive variegated leaves and gem-like berries - and a tongue-twisting name to boot! The leaves of this outstanding, if little known, little climber are outstanding in themselves - emerging pale copper with reddish rim, vaulting off pink leaf stalks, later turning fresh green. As they mature…
Continue reading ➞ The Porcelain Berry Vine, no less…
Clematis alpina Blue Dancer, with these larger than average, very attractive blue flowers, giving us a second flush of flowers this week (the main show is in April/May). A foray into the back issue of The Telegraph now, for an article written by Val Bourne, which, whilst it does not mention Blue Dancer at all…
Continue reading ➞ Clematis alpina Blue Dancer….
Lonicera x brownii 'Dropmore Scarlet' Bright the flowers of this honeysuckle may be, and unusual for all that too, but not scarlet. In common with many of these orange-red honeysuckles, there is very little scent but the eye catching display, from July through to September, makes up for being invisible, olfactory-wise. While it is not,…
Continue reading ➞ Very Nearly Scarlet
Hailing from the hills of Honduras/Eastern Guatamala, Passiflora citrina is a delightful form of passionflower, found growing in moist pinewoods. A beautiful free-flowering plant which may be in bloom 10 months of the year. Pollinated by hummingbirds, if you have one about your person. The leaves are very distinct, paddle shaped and quite a lot…
Continue reading ➞ Passiflora citrina
Passiflora caerulea White Lightning After the rain, thunder and accompanying light show earlier this evening, this seemed appropriate - in name at least. An unusual flower and very likely all the component parts play some role in the life-cycle of this vigorous climber. This pale cultivar (Constance Elliott is another) is on the wrong side…
Continue reading ➞ White Lightning
Just pictures, for now, of this fascinating Arts and Crafts Garden in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. Such a magical place and combining the best of all worlds - a cultivated garden amid so much wild beauty.
The Teddington Gardener 