Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
One of my favourite Agapanthus this, Queen Mum (not even Queen Mother or HRH Queen Mother), a tall statuesque thing of beauty, with lilac-violet-blue blushes to the pure white trumpets, forming large globes held aloft at least 1m/1.2m above the strappy green leaves. No shrinking violet, this. Agapanthus praecox ssp. orientalis Queen Mum ['PMN06'] (Queen…
Continue reading ➞ Just Agapanthus Queen Mum
I chose this Fuchsia, Dollar Princess, for a hanging basket by my front door - it clashes beautifully with the Victorian red-brick and the flowers have an almost ultraviolet glamour, set off well by the deep green leaves, although the flowers almost completely smother the plant already. Sometimes more is more. There is shade from…
The rich red of Tess of the D'Urbervilles, against a tapestry of blackberry and plum tones from the Penstemons, dark leaves of one hydrangea and the cranberry flowers of Pink Annabelle. These might not all be bedfellows in your border, but the colour associations can still be made. Tess is one of David Austin's Fragrant…
Continue reading ➞ Roses, of course, and other floral delights for Thursday
and my summer containers, barely a month planted up - some large terracotta pots and about 8 smaller, though still sizeable, Chelsea planters in complimentary colours. and a shallow bowl of house leeks, Sempervivens, in flower...
Lewisia cotyledon Regenbogen The Alpine House at RHS Wisley never fails to delight me - there is always something bright and interesting to look at and the display changes with the seasons so each plant is always looking its best. There are two Glasshouses and it is the traditional display that I prefer - raised…
Continue reading ➞ A kaleidoscope of treasures in the Alpine House at RHS Wisley
Tulip Rococo An early, short-ish tulip, in volcanic shades of scarlet, crimson, cerise and orange. Frilled, puckered and alternately silky-sheeny-shiny and matt, with yellow, green and black, for good measure. The carnival outfit for the outspoken plant in Little Shop of Horrors. An excellent variety for a container - these are in a quite shallow…
Continue reading ➞ Rococo – just the most flamboyant, frilled, flame-coloured Tulip
Just on my doorstep, a bright sparky tulip to set me on my way - and amid a street full of blossom, something a little darker than the usual bubble-gum pinks many Cherries adopt - And on to my first job, a local garden with a lawn more moss than grass - a fine, deep…
Just photos and captions today...!
We're off to a good start - breaking ground today on my Mediterranean project in Kew. The first crop of plants have been delivered, including those I bought from North Hill Nurseries last week. The (growing) list includes - Caryopteris Heavenly Blue, Dark Knight, White Surprise (7), Euphorbia White Swan (3), Pinus Mugo Mops, Amelanchier…
Continue reading ➞ Plants and prospects for my new Kew Project
The Teddington Gardener 