Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
Viburnum opulus 'Xanthocarpum', - our native Guelder Rose, literally with 'Golden Fruit'. These deep yellow, translucent fruits are a change to the more usual red. Planted together - red and yellow - and if you can get it, the compact form of both, 'Compactum', t'would make a fine sight in a smaller garden too. The…
Continue reading ➞ Golden fruit – Viburnum opulus ‘Xanthocarpum’
There is a lot you would quite rightly expect to see in the Mediterranean Landscape at Kew - olive trees, of which there are many (and my garden has them both old and gnarled) rock roses - Cistus of many varieties Hebes - ditto above Phlomis tuberosa (ragged) tall slender Cypress (I shall use a…
Continue reading ➞ The Mediterranean Landscape at Kew
A small selection of the rose hips display in the rose garden at Kew - sheltered by the Palm House and watched by sentinels of topiary. Not all roses produce rose hips of any significant or decorative consequence; some pull out all the stops and at least equal the floral display. For those roses which…
Continue reading ➞ Hip Hip Hooray for Roses (again..)
I'm getting to rather like this hellebore, Pirouette, for the beautiful congestion of flowers and buds, toothed foliage and compact form. Dusky buds, opening to white blooms fading to equally dusky pink. Typical dark green, leathery leaves on a plant reaching 15" (I'm in an Imperial Mood). While I am on the subject, Helleborus foetidus,…
Continue reading ➞ Prima ballerina – Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Pirouette’
Not for the average conservatory, Encephalartos ferox, almost a living fossil and apparently a ferocious one too (ferox). And Orange, or reddish-orange, these cones. Altogether striking, enjoying the heat and high humidity of the Palm House at Kew. http://www.kew.org/plants/cycads/pollination.html
I've photographed these willow fungi before, but I think they deserve another outing, bathed as they were in late afternoon sunshine last Sunday. A BBC video featuring Tom Hare, the artist responsible and the work of the Fungarium at Kew - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24473667 http://www.kew.org/video-galleries/galleries/Tom-Hare-fungi-sculptures.htm
Early preparations in the Princess of Wales Conservatory for their Orchid Festival, beginning next month (8th February to 9th March). These spaces will be unrecognisable once their work is complete - a riot of colour. I'm sure I posted a gallery of photographs from their displays last year and this year should be bigger and…
Continue reading ➞ Orchid Mania at Kew
The Xstrata Treetop Walk at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew A chance to walk amongst the tree canopy and to enjoy views across the gardens (including the Pagoda and the Temperate House, undergoing a multi-million pound refurbishment) and landscape beyond - Sunday was a clear day and Wembley Stadium, The Shard and swathes of West…
Symphoricarpos orbiculatos - Indian Currant or Coralberry http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1890 I know this particular spot, with the waterfall next to the Davies Alpine House and have photographed something interesting, maybe something orange I seem to recall, here before - so I must have also photographed this shrub too, in leaf. It seems to have made no impression…
Continue reading ➞ Indian currant – Symphoricarpos orbiculatos
The Teddington Gardener 