Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
Hellebore Anna's Red - my favourite, a statuesque crown of flowers on long richly coloured stems and more outward facing blooms (not so shy as many other nodding varieties!) Hellebore Penny's Pink Two recent introductions from the plant breeder Rodney Davey. I've said much about these plants and their rich colours. Anna is Anna Pavord,…
Continue reading ➞ Anna’s Red and Penny’s Pink
Four tough little things, these golden-yellow snowdrops - Galanthus nivalis 'Sandersii' I confess at first I thought these were just a little anaemic but closer inspection proved their yellow markings were just as they should be. Plenty of snowdrop varieties have come through in the Rock Garden at Kew and many deserve a closer look.…
Continue reading ➞ Golden Snowdrops – Galanthus nivalis ‘Sandersii’
While we are on the subject of Primroses, Polyanthus and Primlets, I saw this darling gem at the garden centre at Kew - Primula Strong Beer. Deep blue-violet flowers over deep purple flushed leaves. I also saw Polyanthus Castillion, an orange (not pictured) with dark leaves and a favourite of mine last year (Orange, as…
Continue reading ➞ Strong Beer and other primroses…
Happy Valentines Day from your Secret Admirer.... ... this is Primula Belarina® Valentine, a recent introduction (well, new to me -) with fully double flowers of deepest red, forming neat rosettes and contrasting beautifully with the collar of fresh green leaves. A very appropriate bloom for the day.
Hellebore Gold Collection Ice Breaker Max(i) I'm a little confused by this one, as the label at Wisley - is not 'Helleborus x ericsmithii' as it appears elsewhere in The Internet, and is more Ice Breaker Maxi than Max. It might also be synonymous with the name Winter's Glow. Hey Ho. Beautiful nevertheless. http://www.perennials.com/plants/helleborus-ericsmithii-winters-glow.html http://www.helleborus.de/engl/hgc_eng.htm
Malus transitoria, the cut-leaved crab apple (photographed at RHS Wisley earlier this week) Crab apples are often excellent small trees for the garden, with late spring blossom to rival many of the Japanese Cherries, persistent fruit (attractive but only barely edible in the strictest sense). The blossom can be exceedingly fragrant and runs the gamut…
Continue reading ➞ Malus transitoria – crab apple delights
Sorbus glabrescens in the arboretum at RHS Wisley The arboretum at RHS Wisley in Surrey is a useful place to see many varieties of tree in a relatively small area - in particular it is possible to compare many different types of Silver Birch, or Rowan (Sorbus) or Crab Apples (Malus) although the specimens planted…
Continue reading ➞ A Whiter Shade of….. Rowan (Sorbus glabrescens)
Forthergilla Mount Airy Fothergilla gardenii - dwarf Fothergilla Fothergillas have assumed their rightful place in American gardens as magnificent shrubs that offer superb flowers and foliage, in both summer and autumn, as well as sun and shade tolerance. They do not have a bad season. The habit of dwarf fothergilla is significantly variable, from a…
Continue reading ➞ All things bright and beautiful
The kousa dogwood - - a most elegant dogwood, but often lost in the landscape shadow of Cornus florida. For many parts of the country however (referring to the US), C kousa is probably a better choice. In youth the habit is stiffly upright, almost vase-shaped, but with age it becomes rounded to broad-spreading, with…
Continue reading ➞ More strange fruit… Cornus kousa ‘John Slocock’
The Teddington Gardener 