Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
Sarcocca confusa These small tassel-like flowers, on a glossily evergreen shrub, pump out a sweet perfume - over-rich when planted in quantity and to be used sparingly if brought into the home - an undemanding plant for a shady corner, in most soils (including the more difficult drier spots) and prepare to be caught by surprise…
Continue reading ➞ More fragrance in the winter garden…
Scent in the winter garden - Chimonathus praecox 'Grandiflorus' Several fine specimens by the lake edge at Kew, near to the Plant Centre... I'm bewitched by scented plants and I do seem to have stumbled upon some quite spectacular examples in the few short hours I spent at Kew and Wisley earlier this week. I'll…
Continue reading ➞ Winter sweet – Chimonanthus praecox ‘Grandiflorus’
(above) Daphne bholua (above) Daphne bholua Peter Smithers (more reliably evergreen than some, for example the more commonly available Jacqueline Postil which can drop many of its leaves after flowering) (above) Daphne odora Mae-Jima - with more gold than green (above) Daphne x hybrida Battleston Hill, a woodland garden of winding paths was rich…
Continue reading ➞ Daphne in the woodland gardens at RHS Wisley
Just photographs for this piece, although I am sure I have written about these invaluable providers of colour (and form) in the winter months on other occasions - most likely with reference to the varied stand of dogwoods, willow and rubus at Wisley - like here, planted to double the enjoyment, reflecting their myriad colours…
Continue reading ➞ Cornus – bright stemmed dogwoods at Kew
Bright stems of dogwood, willow and ornamental blackberry by the lake in the RHS Gardens at Wisley There was a little doubt whether these gardens would be open today after the storms over night - many gardens have been forced to close today - but hard work on the part of the garden team made…
Continue reading ➞ Christmas Eve at RHS Wisley
Mahonia x media Charity Well, actually, I know that the two close-ups are the named variety Charity - the other photograph was taken in the Woodland Garden at Kew and was too far into the border for me to make out a label. I'm certain there was one - they are sticklers for labelling but…
Continue reading ➞ Sweet Charity
Cotinus coggygria Golden Spirit - an addition to the smoke bush family, adding to established favourites Cotinus coggygria Royal Purple (the darker leaves, framing the golden leaves of Golden Spirit), Flame and Grace. I have Flame in my own garden, a tall, oval leaved tower of blue-greenery which obscures the house beyond beautifully and is…
Continue reading ➞ Cotinus Golden Spirit
I know this is a little premature, but I'm readying myself for a new gardening related project and there is so much to plan - you might think the workload would be slowing down come September but there is still so much to do, in both the ornamental and kitchen garden - maintaining both, extending…
Continue reading ➞ Things to do in September…
Buddleja White Profusion A much maligned plant, the butterfly bush, which if left unpruned can become an unmanageable monster, all arching limbs and stratospheric flowers. Prune it hard in early Spring and it becomes so much more attractive, with larger spikes of flowers blooming closer to where the average Jo/Joe might see them. It is still a…
Continue reading ➞ Dreaming Spires…
The Teddington Gardener 