Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
Prunus himalaica, Battleston Hill, RHS Gardens Wisley Equally as stunning as Prunus serrula, (but with a darker, richer tea/walnut tone where the former is more shining copper), the rain-streaked bark of the Himalayan Cherry. A multi-stemmed example on the main flank of Battleston Hill (between two very fine peeling specimens of Acer griseum). I had…
Continue reading ➞ Prunus himalaica
A diversion this afternoon, after all my chores, to Battleston Hill - the enchanting woodland at the RHS Gardens, Wisley. Between rain showers and with a careful watch on the sodden earth, I found my first snowdrops. Galanthus elwesii is one of the first to flower, tall, with large flowers and distinctive blue-grey-green foliage, the…
Continue reading ➞ Galanthus elwesii – the first snowdrop of 2014
A very wet, chill and windy day today, the first of 2014 - and I was out and about in it all - thermals, waterproofs and wellies (my trademark hat too) keeping me warm, toastie and mostly dry. More of the same tomorrow but with the hope of drier and brighter weather before we're back…
Continue reading ➞ and welcome to 2014….
Cotoneaster frigidus 'Cornubia' loses its leaves in winter. Its habit is upright when young, then arching. The leaves are long, narrow, veined and mid-green; the flowers and the red berries are very thickly borne and showy. This is a plant for a prominent position in a large garden. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/3338891/How-to-grow-the-best-cotoneasters.html What a busy year! The first…
Continue reading ➞ That was 2013….
A frosty morning with the few roses cocky enough to be flowering all rimed with ice. A little rose garden with climbing rose The Generous Gardener on tall black obelisks, accompanied by a trio of English shrub roses also from David Austin, Gertrude Jekyll, Geoff Hamilton and Winchester Cathedral. The whole scheme is bordered by…
Continue reading ➞ Jack Frost comes calling….
Just two simple pictures today - most forms of Hellebore really get into their stride in very early Spring - and some continue long into Summer. In the vanguard are these delightful pure white forms of Helleborus niger, the Christmas Rose. Plenty of time for the rich ruffles of plum, chocolate and slate that come…
Continue reading ➞ Christmas Rose – Helleborus niger
Boxing Day and a brief hush before the next round of hospitality. The apples in the foreground, small brightly-red baubles, are Cocket's Red - windfalls from the orchards at RHS Wisley collected on Christmas Eve. Fragrant, crisp, lilac-scented fruits only a tad larger than a golf ball and rich ruby-red. The two named trees at…
Continue reading ➞ Boxing Day Greetings
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
The Teddington Gardener 