Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
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
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
Writing in the Telegraph (not me, not yet!) Autumn plants: crocosmia, agastache and euphorbia The partnership of crocosmia, agastache and euphorbia is a smouldering late-season show-stopper, says Val Bourne. The blue-black spires of Agastache 'Blackadder' lend a dramatic flourish to autumn gardens. By Val Bourne 18 Sep 2012 Autumn tends to major in burnished golds,…
Garden Centres and nurseries are beginning to fill up with violas and pansies and with a little TLC, they can be flowering right through until spring next year. Violas are, despite their diminutive size and dainty appearance, tough little cookies, more so than the larger flowered pansies, and can stand pretty much anything the British…
Continue reading ➞ Cheeky Chaps
Echinacea Sombrero Sandy YellowThe plant breeders are all over Echinacea purpurea and plenty of new forms are coming out to wonder and marvel at. Some, like Tomato Soup (with petals almost exactly the shade of Heinz Tomato Soup, watered down a little maybe, perhaps with a splash of milk) cross the line of being a…
Continue reading ➞ Yellow (not purple)
Boscobel, an English rose from David Austin This is Boscobel, one of the roses introduced last year by David Austin, and fast becoming a favourite - it is delightfully fragrant with large flowers which mix pink with stronger tones of peach and even orange. I've yet to see it planted in a big group, but…
Continue reading ➞ A History Lesson
My garden project in Roehampton Late summer coming and there is quite a subdued palette - so I have added the kniphofia I've been photographing a lot recently (Mango Popsicle) to the mix - it will look great with the golden grasses, pop against the pink of the rose Harlow Carr, and sing against the…
Continue reading ➞ My Roehampton Garden
Fuchsias are grown for their very attractive, usually pendent flowers that are borne more or less continuously from summer to autumn. They are useful in summer-bedding schemes, containers or in the ground. Some fuchsias are hardy enough to be used as hedges and in permanent plantings. All fuchsias have the same general routine care: In…
Continue reading ➞ Ruby Tuesday
Russian Sage - Perovskia atriplicifolia Little Spire I'm quoting from Graham Stuart Thomas' book, Perennial Garden Plants and I think he is a fan. Ardent sun-lovers for well-drained soil. In shade they will flower but tend to sprawl. Though truly shrubs they are best cut to the ground every spring to encourage strong shoots and…
Continue reading ➞ Blue Spires
The Teddington Gardener 