Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
The beautiful Damask rose, Mme Hardy, introduced in 1832, making this an outstanding old girl. Peter Beales in his excellent reference 'Classic Roses,' writes An elegant and sumptuous rose which can hold its own against any in the shrubbery. Flowers pure white, full double and quite large considering the number it produces. Centre petals are…
Continue reading ➞ White Lace & Emeralds
Brick pillars and slim wooden struts forming a gently curving pergola in the Family Beds garden at Kew. Matched specimens of climbing and rambling roses in perfect condition and trained to absolute perfection. In full flower, this will be Amazing. Climbing Lady Hillingdon Constance Spry Chevvy Chase Veilchenblau Alberic Barbier Climbing Cecile Brunner Alexander Girault…
Continue reading ➞ Roses at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Having been told this week by a customer that 'they never knew they liked orange so much', (there were lots of Ballerina tulips this spring, and much Geum in flower in her garden now), I think it is time to consider my 'relationship' with Orange. Maybe not give it up - the gorgeous David Austin…
Continue reading ➞ Pink is the new Orange
My first visit in over six months, to the borders I created last Spring in this large Roehampton Garden. Deep breath, eyes open, great relief! They have had to look after themselves following the tidy-up I was able to give them before Christmas and I am thrilled that they have survived such a cruel and…
Continue reading ➞ Return to Roehampton
Hosta sieboldiana var Elegans I know this image was included in my 200th post/gallery but I got to thinking that lots of the other plants included therein were doing just what was expected of them - flowering plants, flowering (albeit beautifully). The verdant hosta indeed comes in a huge range of leaf size, shape and…
Continue reading ➞ More than just a pretty leaf
A rather lovely soft apricot coloured foxglove, with tall spires that will illuminate a shady spot in the garden. A form of the most familiar foxglove, Digitalis purpurea, it is generally considered a biennial plant, though it can be tricked into a short-lived perennial-ness by prompt deadheading (still, not gaining very much and losing some…
Continue reading ➞ Digitalis purpurea ‘Sutton’s Apricot’
A snapshot of my day - beautiful plants some good weather some wet and worse - and some particularly vindictive gusting of winds bunting (before the aforementioned destroyed same) and here it is, my 200th post. Thank you, truly, for taking the time to look at this and any of the first one hundred and…
Continue reading ➞ My ‘200th Post’ Gallery
Not what I was thinking of as I sipped my coffee this morning, contemplating the loveliness of Golden Celebration...
Papaver nudicaule - Iceland poppies A rather dreary day uplifted by these little poppies - whipping around in the wind. Bees seem quite ecstatic in their company. I can imagine sitting at the bottom of an enormous bowl of orange, yellow or red and feeling quite transported myself.
The Teddington Gardener 